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Jack Ma

Jack Ma to give up control of Chinese fintech company Ant Group

Alongside a Communist Party clampdown on the country’s software industry which attacked the visionary billionaire, Jack Ma will relinquish control of Chinese financial technology giant Ant Group, the firm told.

Ma who is one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in china once embodied a generation of Chinese technology tycoons with his inspirational personal story as well as a knack for public flamboyance.

Jack Ma
Image Source: primebusiness.africa

However, the former English teacher has withdrawn from the view of the public seeing as Beijing sabotaged Ant’s scheduled IPO in Hong Kong in response to his scornful remarks regarding government regulators in 2020.

His company said in a statement on Saturday it was adjusting its ownership structure so that “no shareholder, alone or jointly with other parties, will have control over Ant Group”.

Source: theguardian.com

Establishing the previous complex structure of the firm, the official statement had shown Ma implicitly handled 53.46 percent of Ant’s shares as well as regarded the firm’s “control person”.

As stated in the statement, he will receive only 6.2 percent of the political rights after the adjustment.

“The adjustment is being implemented to further enhance the stability of our corporate structure and sustainability of our long-term development,” the Ant statement said.

Ten individuals – including the founder, management, and staff – would “exercise their voting rights independently”, it said.

Source: theguardian.com

The modification would have no impact on the financial expectations of any stockholders.

Ant’s anticipated IPO was expected to be a world-record ranking at the moment, as well as its destructive withdrawal occurred as Ma’s other corporate interests were being scrutinized by the government.

Beijing also struck a record 2.75 billion USD fine on Alibaba which is the internet titan co-founded by Jack Ma which functions famous Chinese e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall.

Authorities announced last month that Ant had received approval to raise 10.5 billion yuan which is approximately $1.5 billion for its consumer finance arm, indicating that the formal grip may be weakening.

As per a notice given on December 30, a China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission bureau in the southwestern city of Chongqing will enable the company to increase its registered capital from 8 billion yuan to 18.5 billion yuan.

The permission sent Alibaba shares up nearly 9 percent in Hong Kong trading, whereas other tech companies were also ramped up in hopes that the sector backlash would be loosened.

In November, Alibaba reported a loss of 20.6 billion yuan for the 3rd quarter. For the very first time, the firm did not provide full sales numbers for its Singles Day purchasing extravaganza in 2022.

The e-commerce festival, which had once seen Ma with important Chinese as well as Western celebrities, has grown more subdued in recent times.

Ma has kept a low profile as of Ant’s failed IPO, with only a few outings at fundraising events as well as trips abroad. Bloomberg stated on Saturday that he had been in Thailand this week.

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