Alibaba kicks off Asia roadshow in HK

On Monday, Alibaba Group kicked off its Asia roadshow in Hong Kong where the Chinese Internet behemoth was earlier refused listing due to its partnership structure.

The investor meeting in the city was part of Alibaba's 10-day campaign to pitch for its initial public offering in the US that could raise more than $20 billion and claim a global record.

"To me, Alibaba missed the opportunity to list in Hong Kong. I speak from my heart. I love Hong Kong," said Ma at Ritz Carlton hotel before a luncheon with institutional investors.

He added that he respects the decision Hong Kong regulatory authority took and understands and agrees that it will not change listing rules for a specific company.

"But Hong Kong will change for itself and for the young, as the world is changing," said Ma.

Hong Kong earlier refused to accept Alibaba's partnership structure, which allows Ma and other executives to nominate a majority of the company's directors, as it challenged its "one share, one vote" rules.

Alibaba later announced its plan to list in New York.

After Hong Kong, the next stop for Alibaba executives is Singapore, where they will host a lunch event and meet investors on Tuesday, Wall Street Journal reported.

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