Jack Ma, Chinese billionaire founder of the giant Alibaba, took his first steps on May 1 at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He landed a visiting professorship, and it’s not the first time. At the end of April, the business school of the University of Hong Kong announced the arrival of the entrepreneur in its ranks. In 2019, he handed over the management of his group to devote himself to other activities, mainly outside of China.
At the University of Tokyo where he entered, Jack Ma –former english teacher– will share their knowledge of entrepreneurship and innovation. The institution also announced that it would participate in research in the field of sustainable agriculture and food production. A new position in Japan which takes him a little further from his native country.
His relations with the Chinese authorities deteriorated in 2020, when Jack Ma criticized the public authorities of financial regulations, calling for a healthier system.
Discreet appearances
This remark earned him at the time a summons by the regime, and sanctions as a result: Ali Baba was fined nearly two billion dollars a week later for alleged unfair practices, and its subsidiary Ant Groupwhich was to go public in Hong Kong with the approval of Chinese authorities, was suddenly forced to cancel its operation on the grounds that it did not meet regulatory requirements.
After his troubles with the Chinese power, Jack Ma then disappeared from the radar before starting to do a few discreet appearances, still outside of China. According to information from FinancialTimesthe 58-year-old businessman now lives in Japan and devotes himself to philanthropic activities and therefore returns to teaching.