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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