2019年9月10日，今天即是教师节、马云的55岁生日，也是阿里巴巴成立20周年的时刻，马云正式卸任阿里巴巴董事局主席。
Jack Ma: Alibaba begins new era as founder departs
BBC
Alibaba chairman Jack Ma is due to step down from the e-commerce giant on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the firm.
He co-founded Alibaba in 1999 and it has become one of the world's biggest internet firms. Mr Ma's success and colourful style has made him one of China's most recognisable businessmen.
Daniel Zhang, currently Alibaba's chief executive, will replace him as executive chairman.
▲ Jack Ma retires on 55th birthday
The company is now valued at $480bn (£389bn) and Mr Ma is China's richest man, with a net worth of $38.6bn according to Forbes.
He is also the first founder among a generation of prominent Chinese internet entrepreneurs to step down from his company.
"I think it will be very hard to replace somebody like Jack Ma," said Rebecca Fannin, author of a book on China's technology titans.
"He is one of a kind. He is the Steve Jobs of China."
滚石：霉霉《Lover》一定会大获成功一文中刚出现过：But Swift will still push her way to another Number One, the last titan standing in a brand new world.
titan表示“巨人，大力士；泰斗，大师”，英文解释为“a very strong or important person”；
类似的：
giant：a very large successful company 巨头，大公司
Born to a poor family in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Mr Ma began his career as a teacher.
He bought his first computer at the age of 33 and was surprised when no Chinese beers turned up in his first online search for "beer".
With no background in computing, Mr Ma co-founded Alibaba in his apartment, having convinced a group of friends to invest in his online marketplace.
It was not the first time he had tried to get a start-up off the ground.
表示“（使）开始；（使）成功进行，取得进展”，英文解释为“If a plan or activity gets off the ground or you get it off the ground, it starts or succeeds.”举个🌰：
A lot more money will be required to get this project off the ground.
要启动这个工程，还需要大量的资金。
"Alibaba was his third attempt at a company, he had two trials before," said Duncan Clark who has written a book about Mr Ma and is also chairman of investment consultancy BDA China.
"He saw the promise of the internet quite early on, but it took a while for him to have a vehicle."
Over the years, Alibaba has grown from an online marketplace into an e-commerce giant with interests ranging from financial services to artificial intelligence.
It was originally set up as a trading platform for businesses, before expanding into consumer e-commerce in 2003 and later launching digital payment platform Alipay.
Lacking a background in technology and with no particular strength in finance, Mr Clark said charisma and strategic vision have been Mr Ma's biggest assets.
charisma /kəˈrɪzmə/表示“个人魅力，感召力”，英文解释为“a natural ability to attract and interest other people and make them admire you”举个🌰：
He lacks charisma.
他缺乏个人魅力。
"His charm is a big part of his leadership, his ability to convince people whether it's customers, employees or critically shareholders."
The author first met Mr Ma two decades ago and the entrepreneur spoke of making Alibaba one of the top 10 internet companies in the world within a decade.
"[It was] a sort of impossible ambition in a way but somehow he made people believe it," Mr Clark said.
Mr Ma did turn his firm into an international heavyweight and its listing in New York set a record as the world's biggest public stock offering.
表示“重量级人物，有影响力的人物（事物），要人”，英文解释为“someone or something that is very important or has a lot of influence”，如：one of the heavyweights of the movie industry 电影业巨子之一。
Earlier this year, he argued in favour of the "996 system" where workers are expected to work 12 hour days, and a six-day week - a hotly debated topic in Chinese media.
The flamboyant businessman is also known for enjoying the limelight and featured at an Alibaba event in 2017 wearing a Michael Jackson-themed outfit.
1）表示“炫耀的；卖弄的”，英文解释为“very confident in behaviour, and liking to be noticed by other people, for example because of the way you dress, talk, etc.”如：a flamboyant gesture 炫耀的姿态。
2）表示“色彩艳丽的，绚丽夺目的”，英文解释为“brightly coloured and easily noticed”如：flamboyant clothes 色彩艳丽的衣服。
▲Jack Ma Returns to Hupan: Birthplace of AlibabaThe 55-year-old is expected to focus on philanthropy and education after he steps down.
Mr Clark said he has gradually brought technology and finance experts into Alibaba and more recently, Mr Ma has been "consciously edging himself out".
philanthropy /fɪˈlænθrəpɪ/ 表示“博爱；慈善；乐善好施”，英文解释为“the practice of helping the poor and those in need, especially by giving money”。
1）表示“逐渐将（某人）排挤出去”，英文解释为“to gradually force someone to leave their job or an area of activity”举个🌰：
She was edged out of the company by the new director.
新上任的经理一步步把她排挤出了公司。
2）另一个含义，表示“小胜，险胜”，英文解释为“to do better than another person or company when you are competing against them”举个🌰：
Italy edged out France by two points.
意大利队险胜法国队两分。
Those moves are expected to ensure a more seamless transition for Alibaba to a future without its co-founder.
Quiet, unassuming and known to shy away from the spotlight, Mr Zhang is nothing like his predecessor.
表示“不张扬的；谦逊的，不摆架子的”，英文解释为“showing no desire to be noticed or given special treatment”举个🌰：
He was shy and unassuming and not at all how you expect an actor to be.
他腼腆低调，一点儿也不像你想象中的演员的样子。
表示“（因不喜欢、害怕或缺乏自信而）退缩，躲避，畏避”，英文解释为“to avoid something that you dislike, fear, or do not feel confident about”举个🌰：
I've never shied away from hard work.
我从未畏避过艰苦的工作。
Inside Alibaba Mr Zhang is reportedly known as Xiaoyaozi, the name of a character in a Chinese martial arts novel. It means the "unfettered one"- someone who stays out of battles but is great at training others.
unfettered /ʌnˈfɛtəd/ 表示“不受（法规）约束的，自由的”，英文解释为“not restricted by laws or rules”，如：an unfettered free market 不受约束的自由市场。
That reputation will come in handy as he steers Alibaba through arguably some of its most challenging times.
come in handy, useful, etc.
表示“有用，派上用场”，英文解释为“to be useful for a particular purpose”举个🌰：
Keep it, it might come in useful.
留着它，也许会有用。
The money will come in handy when I want to travel.
我想去旅游时，这些钱会派上用场的。
In parts of South East Asia and India, analysts say understanding how to work in local markets and with local people is proving to be a challenge for the Chinese company.Yet Mr Zhang's greatest challenge may be living up to the image of Mr Ma himself, a man who enjoyed the respect and affection of his staff as well as the international community.▲ Alibaba History: 20 Years in 3 Minutes- END -
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