Ma Huateng (Chinese: 马化腾; pinyin: Mǎ Huàténg, born October 29, 1971), also known as Pony Ma, is a Chinese internet entrepreneur. He is the founder, president, chief executive officer and executive board member of Tencent Inc., one of the largest Internet companies in China. The company controls China’s biggest mobile instant messaging service and its subsidiaries provide media, entertainment, internet and mobile phone value-added services.
In 2007 and 2014 Time magazine called him one of the world’s most influential people. As of 11 November 2016 he is the 30th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$23.9 billion, according to the Forbes Global Rich List.
Early life and education
Ma was born in Chaoyang District, Shantou, Guangdong. Not much is known about his early life. In one rare insight into his own psyche, Ma claimed in an interview that as a child he dreamt of becoming an astronomer. When his father, Ma Chenshu, got a job as a port manager in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, the young Ma accompanied him. His father was a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
He enrolled in Shenzhen University in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. He graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
Ma’s first job was with China Motion Telecom Development, a supplier of telecommunications services and products, where he was in charge of developing software for pagers. He reportedly earned $176 per month.[10] He also worked for Shenzhen Runxun Communications Co. Ltd. in the research and development department for Internet calling services.
Pony Ma Huateng net worth: Pony Ma Huateng is a Chinese internet entrepreneur who has a net worth of $44 billion. Ma Huateng, nicknamed “Pony,” is the founder, president, chief executive officer, and executive board member of Tencent Holdings, Ltd., one of the most significant telecommunications companies in China. Ma’s work at Tencent made him quite wealthy and thus one of China’s most desirable bachelors. Born in 1971, Huateng is a native of Chaoyang, Guangdong province and a graduate from the Computer Science Department of Shenzhen University. After he earned his B.S. in software engineering in 1993, he joined China Motion Telecom Development, Ltd., where he worked on the Internet paging system development. Then Huateng went on to work for Shenzhen Runxun Communications Co., Ltd., where again he was engaged in research and development. Ma and four of his friends founded Tencent in 1998. One year later, the company launched the product named Tencent QQ, which became very popular in China and brought success and wealth to the company. Tencent soon expanded to become the largest instant communication service network in China. Along with its expansion, Tencent added more employees and eventually Ma was named chief executive officer, executive board member, and chairman of the board. Tencent grew in popularity quite quickly, fueled by its popular instant messaging service, Tencent QQ, and by the introduction of such popular online multi-player games as, “League of Legends”. Billed as “the Chinese AOL”, Tencent now encompasses web portals, e-commerce, and multiple social networks as well. As of 2005, he was the 68th richest person in China, and Time Magazine had recognized him for his impact on the economic and technological landscape of China. Though Tencent has remained quite popular, its value has fluctuated over the years, and for the last few years, it has been on the decline. He currently serves the Chairman of Tencent, and is based in Shenzhen. Ma Huateng’s net worth makes him one of the richest internet entrepreneursof all time!
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