Zhang mentioned the choice to step down was a part of his personal plan.
Zhang’s intentions to solely concentrate on cloud now have been some years within the making. In an interview with CNBC in 2018, Zhang mentioned cloud computing would be the firm’s “main business” sooner or later, underscoring his bullishness concerning the expertise.
My fellow Aliren,
Since turning into CEO of Alibaba Group in May 2015, it has turn out to be my customized to ship a number of letters to everybody yearly. As a lot of you have got come to count on when receiving such a letter, it typically alerts a major organizational change. Today is not any exception. This time, nonetheless, the news I’m sharing entails an vital private change.
I’m happy to report that our organizational transformation into the “1+6+N” mannequin has been progressing as deliberate since we made the announcement. During our most up-to-date earnings announcement, we launched the board of administrators for every of the six main business teams, and these entities are actually all totally operational. We additionally introduced plans for a sequence of great transactions, which embody Cloud Intelligence Group’s full spin-off and itemizing as an impartial firm, IPOs for Cainiao Smart Logistics and Freshippo, and exterior capital elevating for AIDC. Alibaba could have a brand-new outlook for the long run.
As everyone seems to be properly conscious, the event of core applied sciences resembling cloud computing, huge information and AI will result in an incredible transformation of our society and is of utmost strategic significance. Cloud Intelligence Group is now full velocity forward on its spin-off plans and we’re approaching an important stage of the method, so it’s the proper time for me to dedicate my full consideration and time to the business. From a company governance perspective, we additionally want clear separation between the board and administration group as Cloud Intelligence Group proceeds down the trail to turning into an impartial public firm. It can be inappropriate for me to proceed serving as Chairman and CEO of each corporations on the similar time throughout the spin-off course of. Therefore, the Alibaba board of administrators has mentioned and accepted my plan to transition from the position of Chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group to focus solely on my position as Chairman and CEO of Cloud Intelligence Group, efficient September tenth 2023. In flip, the Alibaba board of administrators has appointed Joseph C. Tsai to succeed me as Chairman and Eddie Yongming Wu to succeed me as Chief Executive Officer. As co-founders and companions of the corporate, Joe and Eddie have made important contributions to the corporate’s growth and possess a wealth of invaluable expertise. I’ve each confidence that their management will information Alibaba towards new heights.
This change signifies a brand new section and new journey, not just for the corporate but additionally for me personally. Time flies, and this 12 months marks my sixteenth 12 months at Alibaba Group. My appointment as CEO and Chairman of Alibaba Group was past my creativeness. Being in a position to totally dedicate myself to the roles for so long as I’ve is really because of the belief, help, encouragement, and endurance I’ve acquired from everybody. For this, I’m eternally deeply grateful. Due to the historic alternatives that emerged via social progress and market growth over the previous 16 years, I had the privilege of witnessing the fast progress of Alibaba and took part alongside everybody in so many achievements from inception to maturation that has impacted individuals’s on a regular basis lives, enabled the digital transformation of companies, and made optimistic contributions to society. Together we withstood the challenges led to by the pandemic and weathered the uncertainties of the macro setting over the previous three years. Through prosperity and adversity, we grew stronger, shared unforgettable experiences, and persevered via all of it collectively. I’m grateful for the friendships and bonds cast throughout this journey that’s extra priceless and significant to me than anything.
Over the previous 24 years, now we have initiated self-reinvention many occasions. Today, we’re all standing collectively at a brand new place to begin, hoping to unlock new progress via self-transformation. I do know everybody will proceed to help Joe, Eddie, and the brand new senior administration group. I hope everybody will discover the very best path and platform for themselves. Your self-fulfilment will profit society and the corporate, however extra importantly, hopefuly will make it easier to uncover easy methods to be the very best model of your self. The group at Cloud Intelligence Group and I are additionally standing on a model new stage, and we are going to leverage the facility of recent expertise in cloud computing, huge information, and synthetic intelligence to serve the digital transformation of enterprises of all sizes and industries and seize the huge potential led to by AI. I’m extremely keen and excited.
My mates, the panorama might evolve, however the mountains stay and the rivers will proceed to circulation. Let’s begin a brand new chapter. When we meet once more, might all of us be carefree!
Daniel Zhang
Alibaba Group Chairman and CEO
Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group Chairman and CEO
2023.6.20
Source: www.cnbc.com