Hangzhou (China): Chinese billionaire and the founder of Alibaba Group, billionaire Jack Ma is suspected to be missing for the last two months.
Jack Ma was under China government's scrutiny since the suspension of Ant's blockbuster $37 billion initial public offerings (IPO) in Shanghai and Hong Kong.
If reports are believed to be true, Jack Ma has not been seen in the public for more than two months. He is quite media-savvy. Jack Ma also did not show up in the final episode of his own talent show, called Africa's Business Heroes, which was held in November. He was represented by an Alibaba executive at the show.
The concerns regarding him being missing rose after his controversial speech in Shanghai, China on October 24. In his speech, he called the Chinese banking rules and process to be similar to an "old people's club."
He said that the financial system of today is the of the Industrial Age."We must set up a new one for the next generation and young people. We must reform the current system," Ma added in his speech on October 24, 2020.
Since then, his business empire Ant Group has been under the strict scrutiny of the Chinese government.
Not only his disappearance in his own talent show finale but Jack Ma's image has also been removed from the official website of the talent show.
A spokesperson from Jack Ma's Alibaba Group has rubbished all the reports about Jack Ma being missing. The spokesperson said that Jack Ma is not missing. "Due to a schedule conflict Mr Ma could no longer be part of the finale judge panel of Africa's Business Heroes earlier this year (2020)," he further added.
Lucy Peng replaced Jack Ma in the talent show. Lucy Peng is an executive of the Alibaba Group.