Jack Ma

Jack Ma's story is so dramatic it almost reads like fiction. A former English teacher from Hangzhou Normal University who was rejected from countless jobs went on to build Alibaba and become one of China's richest men. I find his repeated early failures genuinely encouraging; they are a reminder that a life can turn around late. His honors, from the Legion of Honour to Financial Times Person of the Year, mark global recognition. But his abrupt retreat from public life after his peak is just as telling, hinting at the delicate position of a tycoon in China. I see all of it as the making of a singular figure.

Name (English)

Jack Ma

Name (Japanese)

馬雲

Reading

まーゆん

Born

September 10, 1964 (age 61)

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Virgo / Dragon

Origin

Hangzhou, People's Republic of China

Occupation

entrepreneur / philanthropist / businessperson

University

Hangzhou Normal University

Awards & achievements

• 2018 Pioneer of Reform
• 2016 Knight of the Legion of Honour
• 100 Outstanding Private Entrepreneurs in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up
• 2013 Financial Times Person of the Year

• Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jackmaofficial/
• Xhttps://x.com/JackMa
• Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack%20Ma
• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A6%AC%E9%9B%B2
• Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1137062

Tags

• entrepreneur
• philanthropist
• businessperson

Last updated

2026-06-11

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.