Mr Ma, 55, is ranked in public surveys as one of the country’s favourite financial figures, alongside Alan Greenspan and Warren Buffet.
Mr Ma rose to national fame because of his strong leadership in transforming an obscure, weak bank into an industry leader in terms of innovation, marketing and profitability. When he assumed the reins in 1999, the bank was burdened by a non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 13.3% and a presence limited to the south, near its Shenzhen headquarters.
