In this success post, we are going to share the story of a Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, a Chinese business magnate, engineer, internet and technology, and philanthropist.
Huateng is the chairman, founder, and CEO of Tencent, Asia’s most valuable company, and also one of the largest internet and technology companies across the globe.
As of 2020, Ma Huateng’s net worth is around $42.2 billion dollars. He is one of the wealthiest businessmen across the globe, without a doubt.
Ma Huateng Early Life
Ma Huateng was born in Chaoyang, China, on the 29th of October 1971. When his father, Ma Chenshu, got a job as a port manager in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, the young Ma accompanied him.
Huateng was enrolled in Shenzhen University in 1989 and then graduated in the year 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in computer science.
Ma Huateng Career
Ma Huateng’s first work was with China Motion Telecom Development. He reportedly earned $176 per month. During the same time, he also worked for the Shenzhen Runxun Communications CO Ltd in the research and development of the internet calling services.
Huateng went on to co-found Tencent in 1998. The company’s first product came after Ma participated in a presentation for the ICQ, the world’s first internet instant messaging service, founded in the year 1996 by an Israeli company.
In 2009, Huateng told China Daily, he stated:
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants, we knew our product had a future, but at that time, we just couldn’t afford it.”
In the year 2000, Ma turned to the US investment firm IDC and Hong Kong’s telecom carrier Pacific Century CyberWorks who bought 40% of the Tencent shares for $2.2 million. Moreover, 80% of the company’s revenue came from deals struck with Telecom operators who agreed to share the message fees.
Ma Huateng Honors & Achievements
‘Time’ had honored Ma Huateng several times. He was featured on their list of the most influential people in the world in 2007, 2014, and 2018. In the year 2015, Forbes featured him on their list of the most powerful people across the globe. Fortune has included him on their list of the top businessmen of the world in 2017.
In 2018, CEOWORLD Magazine Honored him with a place on their list of the ‘Most Powerful People in the world’. He has often been compared with Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in the world.
With a net worth of around $51.1 billion as of March 2018, Ma is the richest man in China and the 14th richest man in the world. In November 2017, he became the first Chinese businessman to be featured on Forbes list of the top 10 richest men in the world.
Also Read: Steve Ballmer Biography: Success Story of Microsoft, Ex-CEO
