In this article I cover who owns Alibaba from the initial founding years through to the present day. I’ve also included a number of interesting facts and general information about the Alibaba group.
Table of Contents
Key Facts About Alibaba
Alibaba
Jack Ma and a group of 17 co-founders including Joe Tsai
1999
1999
Daniel Zhang
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
240,000
BABA
$109.48 billion (2023)
$23.38 billion (2023)
$187.15 Billion (March 2024)
Alibaba Useful Links
Who Created Alibaba?
Alibaba Group was founded by Jack Ma along with other co-founders in 1999. The business was based in Hangzhou, China.
The main goal of the two-sided market was to connect Chinese manufacturers with overseas buyers.
Here is a full list of the original 18 founders of Alibaba Group:
- Jack Ma (Ma Yun) – Founder and former Executive Chairman
- Joseph Tsai (Tsai Chung-Hsin) – Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman
- Lucy Peng (Peng Lei) – Co-founder and former CEO of Ant Group
- Shao Xiaofeng – Co-founder and former Chief Risk Officer
- Shi Yufeng – Co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer
- Zhou Yuehong – Co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer
- Jin Jianhang – Co-founder and former President of Alibaba Group
- Wu Yongming – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Xie Shihuang – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Li Qi – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Cathy Zhang (Zhang Ying) – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Eddie Wu (Wu Wei) – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Trudy Dai (Dai Shan) – Co-founder and President of Wholesale Marketplaces
- Jian Wang – Co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Taobao
- Peng Jianfeng – Co-founder and former Chief People Officer
- Judy Tong (Tong Wenhong) – Co-founder and Chief People Officer
- Jianhang Jin – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
- Ming Zeng – Co-founder and former Senior Vice President
Jack Ma acted as the leader of the original team. The team initially came together in 1999 in Ma’s apartment in Hangzhou, China to discuss and formulate the plan and formation of the company. After being created each held different leadership roles in the early stages.
Since those early days, many have left Alibaba to pursue other interests. As an example, Lucy Peng and Trudy Dai have moved over to assume leadership positions in Alibaba’s subsidiaries.
Jack Ma and Joseph Tsai though have remain in the business and are generally associated with Alibaba in the press and media.
When Was Alibaba Founded?
The Alibaba.com platform became operational in 1999 the same year it was founded.
The first version of Alibaba.com was a simple website – you have to remember that the internet was relatively new to China at this time.
The Alibaba platform was the first of its kind to focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China and linking them to foreign businesses interested in importing good from China or having them produced.
China was only just openning up its economy and previously it was complex trying to find out about manufacturers and suppliers.
Despite the platform’s simplicity, Alibaba.com quickly gained popularity among Chinese suppliers who quickly gained business from international markets.
Eessentially, it made it easy for Chinese businesses to connect with buyers around the world.
History and Timeline on the Key Milestones for Alibaba
Key milestones and timeline:
- 1999 – Alibaba founded in Hangzhou, China
- 1999 – Alibaba.com B2B platform launched
- 2003 – Taobao C2C marketplace launched
- 2004 – Alipay online payment service launched
- 2005 – Yahoo invests $1 billion for 40% stake in Alibaba
- 2007 – Alibaba.com IPO on Hong Kong Stock Exchange
- 2008 – Tmall B2C platform for brands and retailers launched
- 2014 – Alibaba IPO on NYSE raises $25 billion, the largest IPO at the time
- 2015 – Alibaba becomes largest retail commerce company in the world by GMV
- 2016 – Alibaba acquires controlling stake in Lazada, expanding into Southeast Asia
- 2017 – Alibaba becomes second Asian company to surpass $400 billion market cap
- 2019 – Alibaba listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange in secondary listing, raising $11 billion 2020 – Alibaba Cloud becomes profitable and expands internationally
- 2023 – Alibaba announces major restructuring into six business groups to drive future growth
What Does Alibaba Own
Alibaba Group is now a multinational technology conglomerate that owns and operates a wide range of businesses – mostly related to e-commerce, retail, internet, and the supporting technologies. Key companies include:
- Alibaba.com – Leading global B2B trade platform connecting buyers and suppliers
- Taobao – China’s largest online C2C marketplace with over 700 million monthly active users
- Tmall – Leading B2C platform for brands and retailers in China
- AliExpress – Global retail marketplace connecting consumers with Chinese merchants
- 1688.com – China’s leading platform for domestic B2B wholesale trade
- Alibaba Cloud – China’s largest cloud service provider and 3rd largest globally
- Cainiao Network – Smart logistics network and data platform
- Ant Group – World’s highest-valued fintech company, operating Alipay and financial services
- Youku – Leading online video and streaming platform in China
- Lazada – #1 e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia
- Ele.me – China’s leading online food delivery platform
- Freshippo (Hema) – New retail grocery chain combining online and offline
How Does Alibaba Work?
At its core, the Alibaba business model controls a range of related platform businesses that share services and similarities. For example, Taobao connects buyers and sellers, while Cainiao coordinates merchants and logistics providers.
The platforms benefit from strong network effects – to explain this it bascially means the more users on one side (e.g. buyers), the more valuable it becomes to the other side (e.g. sellers). This create creates a powerful cycle of growth.
APIs allow third-party developers to create additional services that integrate with the platforms – so complementary services and functions. Alibaba also integrates its own services such as Alipay and logistics capabilities to make it more of a one stop shop and a more seamless UX design.
Overall, Alibaba generates revenue through different streams such as advertising fees, commissions on transactions, membership fees, and service fees. The massive scale of its ecosystem enables this level of monetization.
Who Owns Alibaba?
Who is Jack Ma (Ma Yun)?
Jack Ma is the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group. He was born in 1964 in Hangzhou, China. Ma was first of an English teacher. But in 1995, he founded China Pages, one of China’s first internet companies.
He then went onto create Alibaba in 1999 with a goal to help small businesses harness the power of the internet. Alibaba under his leadership went onto became one of the world’s largest e-commerce and technology companies.
Ma is known for his charismatic personality and has become synonymous with the brand Alibaba. Mooreover he has become a big icon for entrepreneurship in China.
He stepped down as executive chairman in 2019 to focus on philanthropic pursuits in education and environmental sustainability, but Ma still is active in Alibaba and continues to shape the company’s vision and culture.
Ma is estimated to have a net worth of over $20 billion,
Who is Joseph Tsai (Tsai Chung-Hsin)
Joseph Tsai is a co-founder and the executive vice chairman of Alibaba Group. Born in Taiwan and educated at Yale. Before joining Alibaba Tsai was a tax attorney in New York.
He held the position of chief financial officer from 1999 to 2013. During that time Tsai was pivotal in Alibaba’s investments, acquisitions, and record-breaking IPO in 2014.
During his time in the USA Tsai became a big fan of basketball. Tsai with his earnings from Alibaba has since gone on to acquire ownership of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA’s New York Liberty in recent years.
He also chairs the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, which supports education, healthcare, and economic mobility initiatives. Tsia has an estimated net worth of over $7 billion.
Other Notable Founders
Lucy Peng (Peng Lei): Lucy Peng, a co-founder of Alibaba, served as the CEO of Ant Group and Chief People Officer of Alibaba. She played a key role in Alipay’s growth and Ant Group’s formation.
Shao Xiaofeng: Shao Xiaofeng, a co-founder and former Chief Risk Officer, was responsible for managing risks across Alibaba’s platforms and ensuring the integrity of the company’s ecosystems.
Shi Yufeng: Shi Yufeng, a co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer, led the development of Alibaba’s technology infrastructure and played a key role in the company’s early technological innovations.
Zhou Yuehong: Zhou Yuehong, a co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer, oversaw the daily operations of Alibaba and played a crucial role in the company’s organizational development.
Jin Jianhang: Jin Jianhang, a co-founder and former President of Alibaba Group, was instrumental in the company’s strategic partnerships and international expansion efforts.
Wu Yongming: Wu Yongming, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, held leadership roles in Alibaba’s B2B and C2C business units, contributing to their growth and success.
Xie Shihuang: Xie Shihuang, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, played a key role in developing Alibaba’s sales and marketing strategies.
Li Qi: Li Qi, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, held leadership positions in Alibaba’s technology and engineering teams and contributed to the company’s technological advancements.
Cathy Zhang (Zhang Ying): Cathy Zhang, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, led Alibaba’s international business development and played a vital role in the company’s global expansion.
Eddie Wu (Wu Wei): Eddie Wu, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, held leadership roles in Alibaba’s B2B and C2C business units, contributing to their growth and success.
Trudy Dai (Dai Shan): Trudy Dai, a co-founder and President of Wholesale Marketplaces, has been instrumental in the growth and success of Alibaba’s B2B e-commerce platforms, including Alibaba.com and 1688.com.
Jian Wang: Jian Wang, a co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Taobao, led the technical development of Alibaba’s consumer-facing e-commerce platform and contributed to its rapid growth.
Peng Jianfeng: Peng Jianfeng, a co-founder and former Chief People Officer, played a key role in shaping Alibaba’s organizational culture and human resource strategies.
Judy Tong (Tong Wenhong): Judy Tong, a co-founder and Chief People Officer, has overseen Alibaba’s human resource management and organizational development.
Jianhang Jin: Jianhang Jin, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, held leadership roles in Alibaba’s technology and engineering teams and contributed to the company’s technological advancements.
Ming Zeng: Ming Zeng, a co-founder and former Senior Vice President, played a key role in shaping Alibaba’s strategic direction and business development initiatives.
Current Shareholders of Alibaba
Who Is Alibaba’s Bigget Shareholder?
Jack Ma and Joe Tsai, co-founders of Alibaba, have emerged as the largest shareholders of Alibaba Group, showcasing a significant shift in the company’s shareholding structure. In the fourth quarter, Jack Ma acquired approximately $50 million of Alibaba’s stock traded in Hong Kong, thereby elevating his stake to more than 4.3%.
Joe Tsai invested around $151.7 million through his family investment vehicle, Blue Pool Management, in Alibaba’s U.S.-traded shares, making him the second-largest shareholder.
This strategic acquisition occurred amid an 11% decline in Alibaba’s stock price during the same quarter, underlining the founders’ confidence in the company’s potential for a resurgence.
These investments were part of broader efforts by Ma and Tsai to consolidate their positions within Alibaba as the company navigates through challenging times, including regulatory pressures and market competition.
Alibaba’s stock price has faced significant volatility in recent years. This has been prompted by regulatory actions against its affiliate Ant Group and broader antitrust measures within China.
Despite this, Ma’s and Tsai’s increased shareholdings indicate their belief in Alibaba’s long-term value.
Is Alibaba Bigger Than Amazon?
As of 2023, Amazon is a larger company than Alibaba in revenue, market capitalization, and global presence. In 2022, Amazon reported revenue of $514 billion, while Alibaba’s revenue was $134 billion.
Amazon’s market capitalization as of March 2023 is around $1 trillion, compared to Alibaba’s $240 billion.
Amazon operates in more countries and has a significant presence in North America, Europe, and other international markets. In contrast, Alibaba primarily focuses on China although it has started to expand its presence in Southeast Asia.
Alibaba has a larger share of the e-commerce market in China, with a 56% market share compared to Amazon’s 37% share in the United States. Alibaba also has a more diversified business portfolio.
