Jack Ma Drew A Parallel Between Himself And Forrest Gump At The Alibaba IPO Over A Decade Ago — The Philosophy Inspired By The Iconic Character Has Helped Build A Tech Giant Worth $319 Billion
Benzinga (Mon, 31-Mar 10:03 PM)
At Alibaba Group Holding's (NYSE:BABA) historic IPO in 2014, its co-founder, Jack Ma, spoke about his favorite movie, Forrest Gump, which provided a source of inspiration for the Chinese entrepreneur. Today, 11 years later, Alibaba has transformed into a $319 billion giant.
What Happened: During Alibaba's much-anticipated IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014, in a conversation with CNBC, Ma drew a parallel between his own journey and the perseverance of Forrest Gump, the iconic fictional character played by Tom Hanks.
No matter what happens, "you are you," Ma said, reflecting on his belief in the importance of staying true to one's values and mission despite challenges.
This simple but profound philosophy helped guide Ma and Alibaba through what was then a historic IPO, raising $25 billion—at the time, the largest IPO in U.S. history.
The funds fueled Alibaba's ambitions to build an ecosystem that could serve small businesses in China and ...
