Seriously...

Where is Jack Ma?


Listen Later

On the eve of what would have been the world's largest share listing, Ant Financial, estimated to float for over $300bn, it's founder Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire mysteriously disappeared. Things started to go wrong for Ma after he told a room full of banking regulators that their methods were out of date and not fit for purpose. Shortly afterwards, the Chinese government cancelled the listing and Jack went silent. The extroverted charismatic billionaire, who once flourished in the public eye, simply did not show up at key events.

It's happening more and more often in China: some of the country's most famous and powerful people are disappearing after coming into conflict with the Communist Party. China's most famous actress, the Chinese head of the international police agency Interpol and even a top news presenter all disappeared.

So what's happened to Jack Ma? In this program journalist Celia Hatton, who spent 15 years living and reporting in China, investigates. Celia asks if Ma is just keeping a low profile or is something more sinister at play? What does Jack Ma’s disappearance tell us about China's relationship with big business, the future direction of its economy and its attitude towards the growing number of domestic tech billionaires?

Producer: Rajeev Gupta

(Clips used: CBS, CNN, World Economic Forum, Alibaba Group, Financial Times)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,800 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,512 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,800 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,866 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,070 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,118 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,977 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

492 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,096 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

488 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

601 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

108 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

301 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

840 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

64 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

52 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,209 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,041 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

74 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

129 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

51 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

50 Listeners