Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Urges Shift Back to Entrepreneurial Spirit

Alibaba Group Holding is experiencing a strategic turning point as CEO Eddie Wu calls on employees to embrace a startup outlook and rally behind a few core priorities. In a memo sent by the post to staff, Wu highlighted that the company will “mobilize at full strength” and prioritize initiatives that cut across business units, marking a shift from the breakdown it adopted during a major reorganization two years ago.

Jack Ma, co-founder of a Hangzhou-based massive tech company, started in a small apartment about 26 years ago. According to Alibaba employees who have access to the website, stated on Friday the employees from different business groups were allowed to communicate with each other through an internal website.  

Wu’s remarks come just ahead of Alibaba Day on May 10, a company-wide event planned to build community and celebrate the group's legacy. This year, Alibaba has recreated Ma’s original apartment on its corporate campus, turning it into a symbolic destination for employees seeking motivation from the company’s humble beginnings.

“The AI revolution is opening doors for greater interaction across Alibaba’s diverse ecosystem,” Wu said, emphasizing the company's vast tech, talent, and resource pool. He pointed to artificial intelligence as a fundamental resource in reshaping user experiences and delivering value across the board. On the day of the announcement, Alibaba shares climbed 1.7 percent, closing at HK$123.60.

As Alibaba scales back plans to break up its various business arms, the company is readjusting around its core strengths: focusing back on e-commerce and cloud computing, a "user-first, AI-led" strategy. Alibaba Cloud, initially slated for a bonus, will now remain an integral part of the group.

Wu urged employees to adopt a "zero-to-one" mindset and focus on innovation over legacy, stressing the need to navigate global tech shifts, especially in the fast-evolving AI sector, and asked them to let go of past achievements and think as start-ups will be necessary to unlock new growth for the organization.