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Who Is Jack Ma’s Successor Daniel Zhang?
Article

Who Is Jack Ma’s Successor Daniel Zhang?

Cha Zuo MBA, 2018

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Overview
  • Background

Recommendation

In September 2018, Alibaba founder Jack Ma announced that he will be stepping down as chairman of the company in one year’s time. He has named company CEO Daniel Zhang (Zhang Yong) as his successor. Although Zhang has been serving as Alibaba’s CEO since 2015, the public doesn’t know much about the quiet, reserved Chinese businessman. In this article, reporter Kong Lingjuan tries to fill the information gap by painting a well-rounded portrait of Zhang based on interviews he gave in the past as well as statements about him from his Alibaba colleagues. Kong addresses Zhang’s shortcomings as well as his strengths.

Take-Aways

  • Daniel Zhang joined Alibaba in 2007, was promoted to CEO in 2015 and will become Jack Ma’s successor as the company’s chairman in September 2019.
  • Zhang’s most notable achievement is developing Singles Day into the world’s largest online retail event.
  • Internal accounts paint Zhang as calm, reserved, dedicated and extremely intelligent.

About the Author

Kong Lingjuan writes about business and management for the WeChat wemedia account Hua Shang Tao Lue.