Jack Ma Alibaba co-founder and Chinese tech billionaire suspected missing
Alibaba co-founder and Chinese tech billionaire Jack Ma is suspected missing.
Jack Ma has reportedly not appeared in public for over two months after he gave a controversial speech in October 2020.
His non-appearance at the final episode of his own talent show, Africa’s Business Heroes in November has led to the speculations of gone missing.
However, an Alibaba spokesperson has told Financial Times that Jack Ma was unable to attend the final episode of the show as a judge due to a scheduled time conflict.
Jack Ma, in a speech on October 24, criticized China’s “pawnshop financial regulators and state-owned banks, calling for a reform of China’s regulation system for stifling business innovation and likened global banking regulations to an ‘old people’s club’.
“Today’s financial system is the legacy of the Industrial Age. We must set up a new one for the next generation and young people. We must reform the current system,” Ma said in the speech.
According to The Wall Street Journal, officials in Beijing dressed down Ma and suspended the $37billion initial public offering of his Ant Group on the direct order of President Xi in November.
The events have led rumour mills on various platforms in action.
Billionaire Jack Ma (@JackMa) suspected to be missing shortly after criticizing China’s government.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) January 4, 2021
Chinese authorities launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Alibaba in late December and told Ant Group to restructure its operations.
Report: https://t.co/I5riZJOJ28 pic.twitter.com/5rHS8h3IgF
i am shocked Xi could be this bold. although, I was shocked Ma could make the speech he did. feels like it is getting very khodorkovsky-esque.
— Spratt (@justinspratt) January 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/20Slots/status/1346016628941590528
If Jack Ma can go 'Missing' and is a Billionaire, imagine what the chinese can do to us as Kenyans when we default loan repayment. 🤔
— BRAVIN YURI (@BravinYuri) January 4, 2021
Haven’t heard many “the future of startups is China” takes lately. https://t.co/Hrd6HNujyW
— Zack Kanter (@zackkanter) January 3, 2021
