After Alibaba debacle, Jack Ma to be seen in a new ROLE soon
- The University of Hong Kong stated that Jack Ma had accepted the honorary professorship from its business school
Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, has been appointed as an honorary professor of business at the University of Hong Kong. This announcement comes weeks after Ma made a rare public appearance in China following his fall from grace during a government crackdown on the tech industry two years ago. Ma had kept a low profile since late 2020, when a speech he made criticizing Chinese regulators was followed by Beijing pulling the plug on a planned IPO by Alibaba affiliate Ant Group.
The University of Hong Kong stated that Ma had accepted the honorary professorship from its business school and that it welcomed him sharing "his rich knowledge and experience in business innovation and development." The appointment is for a three-year term ending in March 2026, and Ma has been recognized for his expertise in management and strategy. The university had previously awarded Ma an honorary doctorate in 2018.
However, Ma has "no plans for public lectures or speeches", according to the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper wholly owned by Alibaba.
The Jack Ma Foundation, a charitable organisation set up by the billionaire in 2014, told the Post that "after a hiatus from the world of education, Mr Ma looks forward to returning to campus life".
Ma has a background in education, having taught English for eight years at Hangzhou Dianzi University in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang before he launched Alibaba. In 2015, he founded a center for entrepreneurship in Zhejiang, which was originally called Hupan University. However, the term "university" was later removed from its name in 2021 amid Ma's spat with Chinese authorities.
(With inputs from agencies)
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First Published:21 Apr 2023, 07:57 PM IST
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