Alibaba’s Jack Ma named UNCTAD special adviser on trade
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Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, has been named special adviser to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on youth entrepreneurship and small business.
In his new role, Ma is to champion initiatives to make it easier for young entrepreneurs and small businesses, particularly in developing countries, to participate in global trade, as well as raise awareness about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Mr Ma is an influential and respected pioneer of the Internet era, innovator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist,” UNCTAD secretary-general Dr Mukhisa Kituyi said. “He brings a visionary approach to entrepreneurship, a thirst for learning, and a belief in a better world that make him a perfect match for UNCTAD. Together we will be able to reach out to communities that feel left behind in today’s global landscape with a message of hope and self-empowerment.”
Jack Ma graduated from Hangzhou Teacher’s Institute with a major in English language education. He created Alibaba in 1999, recognizing the power of the Internet to level the playing field for small businesses and entrepreneurs. There now are more than 10 million small businesses in China operating on Alibaba’s marketplaces.
His proposed concept of the “eWTP” (Electronic World Trade Platform), a way to bring small and medium-sized enterprises more fully into the global economy, was included in the official communique of the recent Group of 20 summit.
“It is an honour to serve as UNCTAD’s Special Adviser on Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business,” Ma said. “I have spent my career working with entrepreneurs and know the positive social and economic impact when people are given the opportunity to participate in the global economy.”
Ma is also a UN advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals.
He currently serves on the board of SoftBank Corp, one of Alibaba’s major shareholders and a Japanese corporation listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
He is also an active adviser to multiple governments and business institutions globally including adviser to the prime minister of Kazakhstan, and member of the International Advisory Council to the Singapore Economic Development Board.
In 2014, Ma was elected to the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum.
Alibaba Group is the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world.
UNCTAD helps governments in developing countries to promote enterprises, especially SMEs, and young entrepreneurs so that they are able to compete in the global economy.
