Then New York- and Hong Kong-listed Alibaba (9988.HK) revealed it was creating six independently run businesses.
That will keep dealmaking teams busy for months if, as CEO Daniel Zhang envisions, multiple listed companies emerge from the $250 billion parent.
And if a breakup is good for Alibaba, they can dust off pitchbooks for its domestic rivals.
Follow @AntonyMCurrie on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSAlibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said on March 29 that he hopes multiple listed companies will emerge from the group.
“I hope there will be multiple listed companies emerging from the Alibaba system, and that they will continue to nurture their own sons and daughters, and cultivate more listed companies”, Zhang said, according to the South China Morning Post.