[ad_1]
BEIJING – founder of Alibaba Jack MotherThe absence of public view in the past two months, including the loss of the final episode of a television show in which he was to appear as a judge, has fueled speculation on social media about his whereabouts amid a regulatory crackdown. China on its expanding business empire.
China’s highest-profile businessman has not appeared on a public stage since a forum in late October in Shanghai where he criticized China’s regulatory system in a speech that put him on a collision course with officials, resulting in on the suspension of a $ 37 billion initial public offering of Alibaba’s Ant. Fintech group arm.
The Financial Times reported on Friday that Mother he was replaced as a judge on the final November episode of an entrepreneur game show called Africa’s Business Heroes.
An Alibaba spokespersonmothern told Reuters on Monday the change was due to a scheduling conflict, rejecting further comment.
While the news coverage of MotherThe absence of public view sparked speculation on Twitter, which is blocked in China, was not a significant trending topic on social media in motherthe interior of China, where sensitive subjects are subject to censorship.
READ: The rumor of the business world: the alleged disappearance of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma
Chinese regulators have focused on MotherThe businesses since his October speech, including launching an antitrust investigation on Alibaba and ordering Ant to reorganize its loan and other consumer finance businesses, including creating a separate holding company to meet the requirements of capital.
“I think he’s been told to stay low,” said Duncan Clark, president.mothern from Beijing-based technology consultancy BDA China. “This is quite a unique situation, more tied to the magnitude of Ant and the sensitivities about financial regulation,” he said.
Alibaba shares listed in Hong Kong fell 2.15% on Monday. —Report by Tony Munroe and Brenda Goh; Edited by Carmel Crimmins
[ad_2]
