Publications
Publications
- December 2014 (Revised November 2015)
- HBS Case Collection
Alibaba Goes Public (A)
Abstract
In 2014 Alibaba debuted on the New York Stock Exchange, creating not only the largest IPO in history but this initial desire to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was denied due to the company's desire to preserve its partner's control over decision rights. Why did Hong Kong deny Alibaba's requests to list dual-class shares or to allow its partners to nominate a majority of the board of directors, and in the process turn away a superstar in Alibaba? Why did American stock markets approve of Alibaba's governance structures, despite the warnings of many governance experts? How can investors ensure that their capital would be deployed effectively by the company's top management?
Keywords
Dual-class Share Structure; Alibaba; IPOs; VIE; Corporate Governance; Financial Services Industry; United States; Hong Kong; China
Citation
Palepu, Krishna, Suraj Srinivasan, Charles C.Y. Wang, and David Lane. "Alibaba Goes Public (A)." Harvard Business School Case 115-029, December 2014. (Revised November 2015.)
About The Authors
