Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. Benjamin Franklin

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Jack Ma of Alibaba

How Is an IPO Like a Marriage? The Billionaire Founder of China's Alibaba Goes Public.

 By ALEXANDRA WOLFE

The Wall Street Journal - May 11, 2013

A week before he was set to step down as chief executive of Alibaba, one of the world's largest e-commerce companies, Jack Ma was enjoying breakfast on an outdoor patio in Santa Monica, Calif. Worth an estimated $4.2 billion, the Chinese entrepreneur may grow even richer if the company he founded 14 years ago goes public. Philanthropy has brought him to California on this trip, but he has no intention of joining the famous billionaires' pledge and donating at least half his money to charity. "This idea of giving your money out was not created by Gates and Buffett. It was created by the Communist Party in the 1950s!" he says with a laugh.

That wasn't the only thing that had Mr. Ma, 48, chuckling. Since he announced his transition to executive chairman in January—he handed over the reins Friday—he has stoked speculation about a potential Alibaba IPO. With an estimated value of about $60 billion, the company could be one of the year's hottest tech offerings if it makes the move.

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