Huateng

Ma Huateng, commonly known as Pony Ma, is a Chinese technology entrepreneur who co-founded Tencent Holdings Limited and has served as its chairman and chief executive officer since the company’s founding. Tencent is one of China’s largest technology firms, with a range of services in social media, gaming, digital payments, and online content. The company is headquartered in Shenzhen.

Born on October 29, 1971, in Shantou, Guangdong Province, Ma studied at Shenzhen University, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science. In 1998 he founded Tencent with Zhang Zhidong, Zeng Liqing, Chen Yidan, and Xu Chuan, starting with a focus on internet-based communication tools.

Tencent launched its first messaging product, OICQ, in 1999, which soon became QQ after a trademark dispute. The company expanded into online gaming, social networks, and mobile payments. It went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2004, and later developed WeChat (Weixin), the multipurpose messaging and payments platform introduced in 2011.

Ma has consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest individuals by Forbes and other lists. He is also noted for philanthropy through the Tencent Foundation and other initiatives, supporting education, public health, and disaster relief. He exercises a relatively low public profile compared with some other tech leaders.

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