The "Grand Council" meeting of the Strategy Committee had just concluded. Before Li Banjia could even catch his breath, he was summoned to Wang Laohu’s office. Also present were Liu Zhi, Vice President of the IT Center, the Finance Center’s "Iron Abacus" Vice President Qian, and Director Yang from the Human Resources Department. It was clear that this lineup was the inaugural meeting of the "Pilot Implementation Steering Group," personally appointed by Chairman Zhao Dezhu.
"Manager Li, congratulations. The Chairman is very interested in your proposal," Wang Laohu began, his expression devoid of any warmth. "However, let’s get the unpleasantries out of the way first. A pilot is just a pilot; resources and budgets must be managed with extreme precision. Every penny of the Group’s money must be spent where it counts."
Vice President Qian of the Finance Center immediately chimed in, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. "Manager Li, the 'Smart Retail' data hub mentioned in your proposal has a significantly high preliminary budget. During the pilot phase, I believe this expenditure must be strictly controlled. We should prioritize utilizing existing assets over building new ones and favor leasing over purchasing."
Chapter 93