Jack Ma and the Collapse of the World’s Largest IPO

Jack Ma has become the global face of Chinese entrepreneurship and represents the growing influence of private business and capital in China. Yet the decision by Chinese regulators to halt the IPO of his latest venture, the Ant Group, as well as subsequent investigations into the company has raised questions about why Beijing seems to have suddenly tried to exert greater control over the fintech giant. 

On Thursday, March 18th, the Ash Center hosted a discussion with Wall Street Journal reporter Lingling Wei for a discussion about what the future holds for Jack Ma and the Ant Group. Wei provides a deep dive into the events surrounding the Ant Group’s IPO and explores whether this latest action signals a fundamental shift in the relationship between China’s high-profile entrepreneurs and the state. Tony Saich, Ash Center Director and Daweoo Professor of International Affairs, moderates. 

About the Ash Center 

The Ash Center is a research center and think tank at Harvard Kennedy School focused on democracy, government innovation, and Asia public policy. AshCast, the Center's podcast series, is a collection of conversations, including events and Q&As with experts, from around the Center on pressing issues, forward-looking solutions, and more. 

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The mission of the Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government.

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Music is Wholesome by Kevin McLeod.