Seven things to know about Alibaba, China's online giant

A logo of Alibaba Group is pictured at its headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, October 14, 2015. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is lobbying hard to stay off the U.S. Trade Representative's blacklist after coming under renewed pressure this year over suspected counterfeits sold on its shopping platforms. Picture taken October 14, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA  - RTS4X2S

Image: REUTERS

Laura Oliver
Writers, Forum Agenda
This article is part of: World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

Alibaba Group, the e-commerce phenomenon founded in 1999, is now considered to be the world's largest retailer, surpassing Wal-Mart last year. At the end of the last financial year, the company posted a gross market value (GMV) of 3 trillion yuan, about $476 billion.

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Still operating a myriad of online marketplaces and shopping sites, the group has also invested in and launched online payment, cloud computing and instant messaging services, to name but a few. Its founder, Jack Ma, has committed the company to creating 100 million jobs in the next 20 years. But what else do we know about this giant of Chinese and international business?

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