“First of all, Jack is alive. He is healthy, he is happy. He is teaching at a university in Tokyo and spending more time in China,” Alibaba President Michael Evans said at the Viva Tech conference in Paris, France.
Mr Evans’ comments came after he was asked about Ma by Maurice Levy, chairman of advertising group Publicis, and showed the public’s continued interest in the whereabouts of the Alibaba founder after he and his company became the target of a crackdown by Beijing.
China began clamping down on Alibaba in November 2020, when Ant Group, its financial arm, canceled a much-anticipated U.S. IPO. Alibaba was fined $2.8 billion for antitrust violations in 2021. Meanwhile, the domestic tech sector has also had to comply with a slew of new regulations, from competition to data privacy.
Ma disappeared from public view for several months, sparking speculation that he had gone missing. However, in early 2021, a source told CNBC that Ma simply did not want to attract attention.
He traveled to Europe later this year and spent several months outside China in 2022. He was spotted back in his home country earlier this year, leading many to believe that Beijing was loosening its grip on the tech industry.
China’s tech crackdown has eased, analysts say, but Ma’s every move is still closely watched. Mr. Evans said Ma remains Alibaba’s largest shareholder, demonstrating the billionaire’s commitment to the company.
“This is his company. So he cares a lot about it today, just like when he first started. I believe that will continue as long as Alibaba and Jack Ma are still here,” he commented.
(According to CNBC)
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