Why does James Straw take an interest in Mark in the novel, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

“Motivation in an Unjust World” is the original article that Mark writes which propels him to fame. The article is about uncertainty and the importance of kindness in business, which had propelled him. It is this article that causes his then-boss, James Straw, to take an interest in him. Straw is delighted to have an in-house writer, and soon comes to realize that Mark could have a far greater impact on the company and his own plans for world domination.