Alibaba’s founder Jack Ma bid a tearful goodbye to the e-commerce company by donning a guitar and a rock star wig at an event for thousands of employees on his 55th birthday.
According to reports, the farewell celebration was held as 60,000 employees filled a stadium for about four hours and the company was handed over to CEO Daniel Zhang by the company’s executive director.
While bidding farewell, Ma said,
After tonight I will start a new life. I do believe the world is good, there are so many opportunities, and I love excitement so much, which is why I will retire early.
Reports mention that the celebration was lavish and costumed performers, some dancing to dubstep music and dressed in traditional Chinese dress, and singers paid tribute to Ma’s reputation for dressing up and performing at big events.
Ma was seen crying when his staff performed skits and sang songs for him. Soon after that, “Jack Ma has cried” started trending on Weibo. He also delivered a solo in his rock star attire and added later,
It is not easy to be a strong company, but it is more difficult to be a good company. A strong company is determined by its commercial ability, while a good company is responsible and kind.
Jack Ma, who is one of the wealthiest people in China will stay on as a member of the Alibaba Partnership, a 36-member group with the right to nominate a majority of the company’s board of directors.