Jack Ma, the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba, has taken on a new role as a university teacher in China following his departure from the e-commerce giant. Ma will be teaching courses on entrepreneurship and business management at the Hupan School of Entrepreneurship, which he founded in 2015.
Ma’s departure from Alibaba has been the subject of much speculation and scrutiny. The company, which he co-founded in 1999, has become one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world, with operations in over 200 countries and regions.
However, Ma’s relationship with the Chinese government has been strained in recent years. In October 2020, he made comments critical of China’s financial regulatory system, leading to the suspension of the IPO for Ant Group, Alibaba’s financial services arm. Since then, Ma has largely disappeared from public view, leading to rumors of his detention or disappearance.
However, Ma’s new role as a university teacher appears to be a sign that he is still active and involved in China’s business community. The Hupan School of Entrepreneurship, which is located in the city of Hangzhou, aims to cultivate a new generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in China.
Ma is well-suited to this role, given his success in building Alibaba into a global e-commerce powerhouse. He is also known for his philanthropy and advocacy for entrepreneurship, having established the Jack Ma Foundation to support education and environmental causes.
Ma’s appointment as a university teacher has been met with excitement and curiosity in China’s business community. Many are eager to learn from his experience and insights, while others see his new role as a sign of the changing relationship between China’s government and its tech industry.
