In 2013, Jack Ma talked about his “retirement” plan in an interview with Esquire. He mentioned that: “I am not looking for a perfect or moral leader. To lead Alibaba, you must be able to think different and execute effectively. Most people can only do one of them. Thus, I need a team, not a perfect individual.”
Real also: Alibaba Group appoints Daniel Zhang to succeed as chairman (Jack Ma open letter enclosed)