By Shiloh Nwambueze
Business News Correspondent
Zhang Ying, the woman Jack Ma openly credits as the greatest decision of his life, remains one of the most influential yet least public figures behind the Alibaba success story. While Jack Ma is celebrated globally as the charismatic founder of China’s e-commerce empire, he insists that none of it would have been possible without his wife — the woman he calls “more important than Alibaba.”
Zhang and Ma met in the early 1980s while studying at Hangzhou Normal University. Zhang quickly became admired on campus for her beauty, sharp intellect and academic excellence. Her popularity was so strong that, on one occasion, a fellow student stood for hours in the rain outside her dorm on her birthday — a gesture that only added to her legendary status.
Jack Ma, meanwhile, was not known for high grades or remarkable looks, but his confidence, humour and excellent English made him stand out. Though Zhang initially turned him down, his determination and personality eventually won her heart. He often joked to her, “A man’s looks usually go in the opposite direction of his intelligence,” a line that left a deep impression.
The two married in 1988 and worked as English teachers before Ma’s entrepreneurial journey began. In 1995, when Ma announced that he would quit his stable teaching job to start his own business, many feared he was making a mistake. Zhang, however, never hesitated. She invested the family’s savings into his dream and stood firmly by him even when his first venture, China Pages, was labelled a scam and nearly crumbled.
When Alibaba launched in 1999 from their small apartment, Zhang played a vital but understated role. She handled administrative duties, coordinated logistics and supported the founding team in ways that went far beyond the office. She cooked for the group, managed payroll, and provided emotional stability during some of Alibaba’s darkest moments.
Jack later described her as the team’s “political commissar” — the person whose calm presence reassured everyone whenever the company faced difficulties.
In 2002, Zhang made another major sacrifice. She resigned from her position as general manager of Alibaba’s China headquarters to focus fully on their young son, who had developed an addiction to online games. She devoted herself to helping him regain discipline, guiding him toward better habits and academic success.
Despite her enormous influence behind the scenes, Zhang has always remained quiet, humble and out of the spotlight. Her life stands in contrast to Jack Ma’s global fame, yet her support, strength and resilience have been foundational to his success.
As of November 2025, Ma’s net worth stands at approximately US$31 billion, making him the eighth-richest person in China. But to him, the most valuable part of his life isn’t his wealth — it’s the woman who believed in him long before the world ever knew his name.
