Jack Ma has been less visible in public since stepping down as chairman of Alibaba’s board of directors. However, recently, his increased activity in the public eye has sparked widespread attention. “What signal is Jack Ma sending by appearing twice in a month?” became a hot search on December 10th.
In the past month, Jack Ma has appeared twice in the public eye. Once was when he took a group photo with employees at Alibaba’s Xixi Park, and the other was on December 8th when he delivered a speech at the 20th-anniversary event of Alipay and Ant Group. His appearances and remarks have led to speculations about the future direction of these two major groups.
December 8th also marked a key moment for the Ant Group as they announced the appointment of Han Xinyi as CEO starting from March 1, 2025, while Jing Xiandong will focus on the role of chairman.
Some netizens have questioned whether Jack Ma’s recent public appearances, after laying low for several years, signify a typical “change of direction with the old helmsman coming back to guide.”
Other netizens have commented that nowadays, entrepreneurs are either speculating on concepts or promoting themselves, casting doubts on the actual significance of these statements.
Since stepping down as chairman of Alibaba Group’s board of directors in 2019, Jack Ma’s public appearances have become rare. However, during Alibaba’s 25th-anniversary celebration, he expressed his vision for the company’s long-term development through an internal post. During this time, both Alibaba and Ant Group have undergone several changes, including the largest transformation initiated by Alibaba in March 2023 and the three-year rectification period following the suspension of Ant Group’s IPO in 2020.
In May 2023, Jack Ma convened a meeting with the heads of various businesses within the Alibaba Group, shortly after which Zhang Yong stepped down from the positions of chairman of the board and CEO, and was succeeded by Cai Chongxin and Wu Yongming.
An article by blogger “Lao Lu Daily Observation” believes that Jack Ma’s return and speeches have sounded a clarion call for the future of Alibaba and Ant Group.
Meanwhile, a legal professional who goes by the name “Mu Zi Law Study” and is engaged in legal affairs elaborates that according to general corporate law principles, the personal actions of a company’s founder do not directly equate to formal decision-making of the company.
The article states that even though Jack Ma is the founder, he no longer holds formal management positions at Alibaba or Ant Group after stepping down. Therefore, his appearances are more symbolic or represent spiritual support rather than involving specific corporate governance or decision-making processes. However, due to his significant influence within the industry, his statements may have a certain impact on internal morale, corporate culture, and perceptions of the company’s future direction by external stakeholders.