Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder Jack Ma is joining Tokyo University’s Tokyo College as a visiting professor, according to a profile page on the university’s website. Ma, 58, will take up his new position on May 1 and will be expected to contribute in several areas, according to the college. He will give advice on research topics and conduct research, especially in the field of sustainable agriculture and food production; he will also give seminars on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Ma, one of China’s best-known business leaders, had largely withdrawn from the public eye after he criticized Chinese regulators in 2020 and forced Ant Group Co, an Alibaba subsidiary he co-founded, to pull out of its planned IPO. In March, the billionaire resurfaced in Hangzhou, China – a rare appearance on the mainland.
“It seems his business career is over,” said Oshadhi Kumarasiri, an analyst at LightStream Research, publishing on SmartKarma. “While he has been successful in this field, he has previously worked as an English teacher and has expressed a desire to return to teaching after retiring from business.” The Tokyo school did not specify what type of lectures or seminars Ma would give.