There are strong rumors that Alibaba founder and Chinese billionaire Jack Ma is missing after multiple outlets reported that the high-profile businessman has not been seen in public for more than two months.
Jack Ma did not appear in the final episode of his own talent show, Africa’s Business Heroes. The UK Telegraph reported that the Alibaba founder was supposed to be part of the judging panel at the end of November, but was replaced by an Alibaba executive. Surprisingly, the photo of Jack Ma was also removed from the website.
According to the Financial Times, an Alibaba spokesman said Ma did not attend the final “due to a scheduling conflict.”
It should be noted that Jack Ma’s huge business empire, Ant Group, has been under the Chinese government’s scanner since the billionaire businessman delivered a speech on October 24 criticizing China’s regulatory system for stifling innovation. He had also called the global banking rules a “seniors club.”
“The current financial system is the legacy of the industrial age,” Ma said in the speech.
“We must create a new one for the next generation and the youth. We must reform the current system, “he added.
After a few days, the IPO of Ant, which had already received permission from the Chinese securities regulator, was suspended. The Shanghai Stock Exchange justified the sudden move by saying that Ant had reported “major issues such as changes in the financial technology regulatory environment.”
China is known to have launched an antitrust investigation against Alibaba in December and the Ant Group was ordered to restructure its operations.
Ma has donated millions of face masks to Europe, the US and the World Health Organization to slow the spread of the coronavirus. He is known for his charitable work with the Jack Ma Foundation focused on the areas of education, entrepreneurship, female leadership and the environment.
Forbes reported that the Jack Ma Foundation has distributed or pledged more than $ 300 million for charitable purposes.
In particular, Ma’s last tweet was on October 10, 2020.
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