Alibaba chairman Jack Ma to step down in 2019
September 10, 2018  08:28
image
Alibaba co-founder and chairman Jack Ma will step down as head of the e-commerce giant on September 10, 2019, the company said on Monday.
  
Ma is staying on as executive chairman for 12 months to "ensure a smooth transition" before handing over his role to chief executive officer Daniel Zhang, Alibaba said in a statement.

"While remaining as executive chairman in the next 12 months, I will work closely with Daniel to ensure a smooth and successful transition," Ma said in the statement.

"Thereafter, I will stay on the Alibaba board of directors until our annual shareholders meeting in 2020." 

Ma, who turned 54 on Monday, was an English teacher before starting Alibaba in 1999 and building it into a multi-billion-dollar internet colossus, becoming one of the world's richest men and a revered figure in his homeland.
The statement did not specify exactly what Ma planned to do after stepping down but it said he wants to "return to education". 
Ma has lately taken on educational initiatives as a pet project.
"As for myself, I still have lots of dreams to pursue. Those who know me know that I do not like to sit idle," he said.
« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES