Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has shaken the world once again when he revealed his retirement plan to the public recently. SCMP reported that the executive chairman of Alibaba Group Holding will step down in one year and Daniel Zhang will take up the mantle.
Source: SCMP
In his letter to staff members, Ma said that it’s time for him to retreat and let the younger generations shine in running the tech giant. Also, he wants to “die on the beaches, not in the office”. Yeap, he said that.
“When I retired from the CEO position, I told the CEO team (in 2013) I should have more time playing golf on the beach.
“But I find, oh my God, spent 870 hours in the air last year, and this year, 1,000 hours. The thing is, I don’t want to die in my office. I want to die on the beach,” he said.
He only became busier after resigning from the CEO position because he had to fly around the world to meet up with heads of governments and talk about the importance of globalisation and technological advancement. That’s the price he had to pay for running a company with over 86,000 employees.
Source: Taiwan News
In fact, he said it before in previous interview videos that creating Alibaba was his biggest mistake.
“I was just trying to do a small business and (not) grow that big, take that many responsibilities and get so much trouble. Every day is like being as busy as a president, and I don’t have any power. I don’t have my life.
“If I still can have the next life, I will never do a business like this. I will be my own self; I want to enjoy my life,” he said.
This sage advice quickly went viral on social media as almost every working adult can relate to his retirement plan. We relate to this on a spiritual level too.
Anyway, we wish Jack Ma a happy retirement in advance and if he finds the beach a bit too boring, maybe he can brush up on his tai chi skills? XD
Source: Branding in Asia
Also read: M’sian Shares How He Retired Early and the Secret to Spending Your Salary Wisely
