阿里巴巴合伙人制度(英文版)
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1.阿里巴巴合作人内容:阿里巴巴合作人制度是阿里巴巴集团管理层自行创建独特治理制度, 经过企业章程和相关协议, 给予合作人提名董事长中大多数董事权利, 使合作人取得了远远超出其持股百分比控制权。
最大特点是控制权与持股百分比不相关, 即无视股权。
马云将阿里巴巴合作人定义为: 企业运行者, 业务建设者, 文化传承者以及股东。
2.阿里巴巴合作人制度和中国合作企业法中合作人制度比较区分:1、二者性质不一样: 阿里巴巴合作人制度是阿里巴巴管理层自行设置一个新型企业治理制度。
而合作企业法中合作人制度是一个企业组织形式, 表现了合作企业存在形式, 而非企业内部治理制度。
2、法律地位不一样: 阿里巴巴集团在美国纽交所上市后, 作为一家公共企业, 实施企业治理制度符合上市所在地法律要求, 并得到相关部门同意。
中国合作企业法合作人制度是中国合作企业法明文要求, 合作人权力和义务是法律直接要求, 她们在行使权力时也要推行义务3、合作人产生方法不一样: 阿里是由合作人团体中不少于四分之三在任合作人选举产生, 取得投票不得少于全体75%, 以一人一票形式提名。
中国法律要求中合作人在含有完全民事行为能力自然人、法人或其她组织以货币、实物、知识产权、其她财产权利甚至劳务出资设置合作企业时自动产生, 合作各方共同签署合作协议4、人数限制不一样: 阿里合作人制度对团体人数并没有明确要求, 合作人规模能够不停扩大。
而中国对合作人数有明确要求, 一般合作企业合作人要两人以上(含2人), 有限合作企业合作人为2到50人5、权力不一样: 阿里合作人权力关键表现为合作人提名权和半数董事会提名权。
阿里合作人能够控制董事会, 是阿里巴巴集团关键管理层。
合作企业法中合作人权力大得多, 因为她们本身就是企业全部者, 享受企业全部经营决议权6、责任不一样: 阿里合作人需要主动地推进和提升阿里集团使命、愿景和价值观, 并传承企业文化。
而合作企业中合作人则需要根据要求方法、金额和期限出资。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度【实用版】目录一、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的背景和历史二、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的特点三、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的运作方式四、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的意义和影响正文一、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的背景和历史阿里巴巴合伙人制度始于 2009 年,但直到 2013 年才随着上市临近对外公布。
该制度是阿里独创的管理制度,它并不同于传统意义上的合伙人制度。
传统的合伙人制度要求合伙人共同为企业经营的盈亏负责,而阿里合伙人则不必承担这样的责任。
二、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的特点阿里巴巴合伙人制度有以下几个特点:1.合伙人的产生必须基于在阿里巴巴工作五年以上,具备优秀的领导能力,高度认同公司文化,并且对公司发展有积极性贡献,愿意为公司文化和使命传承竭尽全力。
2.合伙人在任期间必须持有一定的公司股权。
3.阿里合伙人最为重要的权力是提名董事会成员。
根据相关规定,阿里合伙人将独享提名董事会简单多数成员的权利。
三、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的运作方式阿里巴巴合伙人制度的运作方式主要包括以下几个方面:1.合伙人的选拔:想要成为阿里合伙人至少需要满足三点:在阿里供职超过五年;具备优秀的领导能力,高度认同公司文化;获得至少四分之三合伙人的表决同意。
2.合伙人的权力:阿里合伙人最为重要的权力是提名董事会成员。
根据相关规定,阿里合伙人将独享提名董事会简单多数成员的权利。
3.合伙人的股权:阿里合伙人在任期间必须持有一定的公司股权。
四、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的意义和影响阿里巴巴合伙人制度的设立,旨在建立一个既能坚守阿里巴巴集团的文化和价值观,又具有持续生命力的组织,以保障公司 102 年的持久发展。
该制度对于阿里集团的意义和影响主要体现在以下几个方面:1.确保公司文化的传承:通过选拔具备优秀领导能力、高度认同公司文化的合伙人,可以确保公司在不断发展的过程中,始终坚守初心和使命。
2.激励员工积极贡献:合伙人制度为员工提供了成为公司决策者的机会,激励他们为公司的发展积极贡献力量。
阿里的合伙人制度1.阿里精神就是以马云为首的合伙人精神:从1999年马云创办阿里巴巴以来,公司最早一批创始人以及后来的管理层,一直秉承合伙人精神。
2.阿里的文化决定了阿里15年来的成功:因此阿里称,在上市以后,要用一个合伙人制度保持这种文化,令公司能基于价值观着眼于长远利益。
3.以(湖畔合伙人)称呼阿里巴巴的合伙人制度,源自15年前马云在一处名为湖畔花园的小区与创始人一起创办了阿里巴巴。
4.用合伙人制度来防止大公司病:阿里称合伙人制度能够保证高层管理者之间的合作,客服官僚体系及等级架构。
5.阿里目前有28位合伙人,其中有22位公司管理层以及6位来自关联及下属公司。
6.与美国流行的双层所有权架构不同,即投票权集中于少数创始人手中,阿里合伙人制度分散到更多的高管成员中,阿里称这样的好处是既能保持公司价值观,又能考虑到合伙人今后的更新换代。
7.合伙人如何产生:至少在公司供职5年,获得至少四分之三的合伙人的表决同意,合伙人表决一人一票。
基于以上提名程序,每年选举新合伙人。
8.合伙人会逐渐扩大到公司以外,如客户、商业伙伴、以及阿里生态系统中的其他参与者,都可能会成为阿里的合伙人。
9.担任合伙人期间,每位合伙人都必须在公司持有一定股权。
10.阿里合伙人制度将独享提名董事会简单多数成员的权利。
如果股东大会未选举通过阿里合伙人的董事提名,或者改提名人离开董事会,阿里巴巴有权另外任命一人为临时董事,直至下一届股东大会。
其实,公司治理的核心:董事会。
目前阿里巴巴的董事会成员有四人:马云、蔡崇信、孙正义以及代表雅虎的杰奎琳.里赛丝。
上市之后,董事会将由9人组成。
阿里合伙人有权提名简单多数,也就是5人,只要软银保持15%以上的股份,将有权提名一名董事,其余的三名董事由董事会提名委员会提名。
提名董事将在股东大会上由简单多数选举产生。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度XXX时间20**年9月6日凌晨,阿里巴巴集团更新上市招股书,新的资料显示,阿里合伙人团队成员已由原来的27人增加至30人,最新加入的三人分别是来自阿里云技术团队的蔡景现、来自小微金服集团技术团队的倪行军,以及来自人力资源及组织文化团队的方永新。
这三人均为“70后”,方永新现年40岁,蔡景现、倪行军均为37岁。
这三人是近期选举产生的。
阿里规定,每年都要选举一批新的合伙人加入团队。
20**年,$阿里巴巴集团(ALIBABA)$ 集团向纽交所递交招股说明书F1文件.在招股说明书里面,阿里巴巴集团专门对其合伙人制度做了阐述.通过招股书的简述,对合伙人有如下理解.阿里巴巴的发展体现合伙人精神。
从1999年,阿里巴巴的创始人在马云的公寓内成立公司起,他们就在以合伙人的精神在运营和管理这家公司。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度是在20**年正式确定。
20**年7月,为了保持公司的这种合伙人精神,确保公司的使命、愿景和价值观的持续发展,阿里巴巴决定将这种合伙人协议正式确立下来,取名‘湖畔合伙人’,取自马云和我们的创始人创立阿里巴巴的地方——湖畔花园。
合伙人资格认定。
马云和蔡崇信为永久合伙人,其余合伙人在离开阿里巴巴集团公司或关联公司时,即从阿里巴巴合伙人中“退休”。
每年合伙人可以提名选举新合伙人候选人,新合伙人需要满足在阿里巴巴工作或关联公司工作五年以上;对公司发展有积极的贡献;高度认同公司文化,愿意为公司使命、愿景和价值观竭尽全力等条件。
担任合伙人期间,每个合伙人都必须持有一定比例的公司股份。
合伙人基本情况。
共有28名成员,包括22名阿里巴巴集团的管理层和6名关联公司及分支机构的管理层。
合伙人的权利与义务。
权力包括董事提名权,奖金分配权。
合伙人需竭尽全力提升阿里巴巴生态系统愿景、使命与价值。
不同于双重股权结构。
双重股权结构是将投票权集中于一小部分创业者。
而合伙人的目标是体现一大批管理层的期望,一方面使创业文化传承,另一方面保证创业者管理层能老有所依。
BiaNews 8月23日消息(刘宇),据媒体报道,阿里巴巴向香港联交所建议的上市计划中,创新性的提出准备引入合伙人制度,现有管理团队,拥有董事会内多数董事的提名权。
据接近交易人士指出,在上市后,阿里巴巴希望管理层可免受投资者压力,只追逐短线利润,放弃较长线的发展投资机会。
而且互联网行业瞬息万变,需要熟悉运作的管理层,保持营运发展决策权,所以提出合伙人制度的上市建议。
阿里巴巴公司的控制权一直在公司管理层手中,阿里巴巴集团董事会一直维持2:1:1(阿里巴巴集团管理层、雅虎、软银)的比例。
在目前的公司架构中,软银和雅虎的投票权之和为50%以下,之前入股的云峰基金等亦将投票权委托给了公司管理层。
按该建议,合伙人可以提名董事会大多数董事。
合伙人所提名的董事,仍然需要经过股东大会投票通过才能获得委任,换言之,大小股东同样拥有一人一票的权利;但若所提名人选未能通过委任,合伙人则可再提名另外人选。
而上市后的董事会,也会按规定设立独立非执行董事。
该人士重申,阿里巴巴从来没有发行,也不准备发行双重级别股票,并认为现在的建议是以保障股东利益的角度出发,亦符合港交所现行规则。
《华尔街日报(博客,微博)》8月18日也曾报道称,阿里巴巴正与港交所就所有权一事进行商谈,正在探讨以“创新的方式”确保阿里巴巴管理层对公司的控制权。
据了解,阿里巴巴合伙人制度由2009年开始,目前有20多名合伙人,包括董事局主席马云、董事局副主席蔡崇信,及首席执行官陆兆禧等,均为不同业务的管理层,在公司工作时间至少五年,愿意承传阿里巴巴公司文化。
有熟悉上市规则人士称,有关安排让合伙人借由董事控制董事会决策,但由于数目涉及人数达20至30个,对业务熟悉,有一定程度的互相制衡,相当公平。
实际上,在阿里巴巴成立后的14年时间里,正是这批管理层带领公司一路发展壮大起来。
将公司控制权掌握在管理团队手中,也是互联网公司的惯例,如谷歌在2004年IPO时创造了双重股票结构,给予创始人和CEO三分之二的投票表决权;Facebook创始人兼CEO 扎克伯格通过此类安排,拥有该公司57.3%的投票权,从而保持对Facebook公司的控制权。
【官⽅】阿⾥巴巴合伙⼈制度全⽂(转)来源:阿⾥巴巴集团港交所上市⽂件概覽⾃1999年在⾺雲先⽣的公寓創業以來,我們的創始⼈及管理層⼀直秉承合夥精神。
我們將企業⽂化視為邁向成功、服務客⼾、培養員⼯及為股東創造⾧遠價值的根本。
2010年7⽉,為了維持這⼀合夥精神,並確保我們的使命、願景和價值觀的延續,我們決定正式成⽴合夥組織,「湖畔帕特納」,命名來源於⾺雲先⽣和其他創始⼈創⽴本公司時所在的湖畔花園住宅⼩區。
這⼀合夥組織也稱為「阿⾥巴巴合夥」。
我們相信,合夥⼈制度有助於更好地管理業務,合夥⼈平等共事能夠促進管理層之間的相互協作,克服官僚主義和等級制度。
阿⾥巴巴合夥⽬前共有38名成員,合夥⼈的⼈數並不固定,可能隨著新合夥⼈的當選、現有合夥⼈退休及因其他原因離開⽽不斷變化。
阿⾥巴巴合夥是⼀個充滿活⼒的機構,通過每年引⼊新的合夥⼈為⾃⾝注⼊活⼒,不斷推動團隊追求卓越、創新和可持續發展。
市場上的雙重股權結構,是指通過設置具有更⾼表決權的股份類別,將控制權集中在少數創始⼈⼿中。
阿⾥巴巴合夥⼈制度不同於雙重股權結構,它旨在實現⼀群管理層合夥⼈的共同願景。
儘管創始⼈不可避免地會在將來退休,創始⼈打造的企業⽂化也能通過這種合夥⼈制度得以傳承。
根據合夥⼈制度,所有合夥⼈表決都建⽴在⼀⼈⼀票的基礎上。
合夥⼈制度受合夥協議約束,其運作原則、政策和程序根據我們業務的發展不斷演變。
該等原則、政策和程序詳述如下。
合夥⼈的提名和選舉阿⾥巴巴合夥每年通過提名程序向下⽂所述的合夥委員會提名新合夥⼈候選⼈。
合夥委員會對提名進⾏評估後,決定是否向全體合夥⼈提交合夥⼈候選⼈提名。
候選⼈需要⾄少75%的全體合夥⼈批准⽅能當選合夥⼈。
有資格⼊選的合夥⼈候選⼈必須展現以下特質:• 擁有正直誠信等⾼尚個⼈品格;• 在阿⾥巴巴集團、我們的關聯⽅及╱或與我們存在重⼤關係的特定公司(如螞蟻⾦服)連續⼯作不少於五年;• 對阿⾥巴巴集團業務作出貢獻的業績記錄;及• 作為「⽂化傳承者」,顯⽰出持續致⼒於實現我們的使命、願景和價值觀,以及與之⼀致的特徵和⾏為。
外国有名的股权结构案例【原创版】目录1.股权结构的概念与重要性2.外国著名股权结构案例概述3.案例一:阿里巴巴的合伙人制度4.案例二:谷歌的 AB 股结构5.案例三:Facebook 的股权结构及投票权6.案例四:亚马逊的双层股权结构7.总结:外国股权结构案例对我国的启示正文【股权结构的概念与重要性】股权结构是指企业股份的分配方式和比例,它反映了公司的权力和利益分配。
一个合理的股权结构对于公司的治理、发展和稳定具有重要意义。
在现代企业制度中,股权结构对于企业的成功起着关键性作用。
【外国著名股权结构案例概述】本文将分析四个外国著名公司的股权结构案例,包括阿里巴巴、谷歌、Facebook 和亚马逊。
这些案例均具有显著的特点,为国内外企业提供了有益的借鉴。
【案例一:阿里巴巴的合伙人制度】阿里巴巴的股权结构以合伙人制度为核心,这种制度保证了公司创始人及核心团队在公司治理中的控制权。
合伙人拥有提名董事会成员的权利,这使得阿里巴巴能够在快速扩张的同时,保持公司文化的稳定和核心价值观的传承。
【案例二:谷歌的 AB 股结构】谷歌采用了 AB 股结构,这种结构使得公司创始人及核心团队在公司决策中具有较大的话语权。
谷歌的 A 类股具有 1 票投票权,而 B 类股具有 10 票投票权。
通过这种设计,谷歌创始人拉里·佩奇和谢尔盖·布林在公司扩张过程中仍然能够保持对公司战略方向的控制。
【案例三:Facebook 的股权结构及投票权】Facebook 采用了双层股权结构,其 A 类股具有 1 票投票权,B 类股具有 10 票投票权。
这种结构使得公司创始人马克·扎克伯格在公司决策中具有较大的控制权。
此外,Facebook 还设有一个特别投票权,使得扎克伯格在涉及公司重大决策时能够行使否决权。
【案例四:亚马逊的双层股权结构】亚马逊同样采用了双层股权结构,其 A 类股具有 1 票投票权,B 类股具有 10 票投票权。
阿里巴巴的合伙人制度2014年9月19日,随之在纽交所登陆,阿里巴巴(以下简称“阿里”)终于完成其举世瞩目的上市历程,从香港转战美国,围绕其合伙人制度的争议也终于尘埃落定。
根据其于5月7日向美国证券交易委员会(以下简称“美国证监会”)提交的IPO招股说明书(以下简称“招股书”)及其他公开披露的信息,阿里维持15年之久并在2010年正式确立的阿里合伙人制度揭开了神秘的面纱。
一、阿里合伙人制度的法律内容阿里的合伙人制度又称为湖畔合伙人制度(英文翻译为“Lakeside Partners”),该名称源自15年前马云等创始人创建阿里的地点——湖畔花园。
阿里的创始人自1999年起便以合伙人原则管理运营阿里,并于2010年正式确立合伙人制度,取名湖畔合伙人。
仔细阅读阿里合伙人制度的内容,我们不难发现其主旨是通过制度安排,以掌握公司控制权为手段保证核心创始人和管理层的权益并传承他们所代表的企业文化。
然而,与其他在美上市的公司做法不同,阿里没有采取双重股权制度实现管理层控制上市公司[1],而是通过设立一层特殊权力机构以对抗其他股东的权利并稳定创始人和管理层现有的控制权,这层机构就是阿里合伙人。
因此,阿里合伙人虽然使用了合伙人这一名称,却与《合伙企业法》等法律规范定义的合伙人存在本质上的区别。
根据2014年5月阿里向美国证监会递交的招股书,当时阿里合伙人共计28名;而后阿里于2014年6月更新了招股书,阿里合伙人减至27名,其中22人来自管理团队,4人来自阿里小微金融服务集团(其中两人兼任阿里和阿里小微金融服务集团的管理职务),1人来自菜鸟网络科技有限公司;2014年9月,阿里合伙人再次调整,新增3名合伙人,总人数增至30人(合伙人信息详见附录)。
阿里合伙人制度并未固定人数,名额将随着成员变动而改变且无上限,除马云和蔡崇信为永久合伙人外,其余合伙人的地位与其任职有关,一旦离职则退出合伙人关系。
根据阿里的招股书、公司章程及其他公开资料,阿里合伙人制度的主要规定如下:1、合伙人的资格要求:(1)合伙人必须在阿里服务满5年;(2)合伙人必须持有公司股份,且有限售要求[2];(3)由在任合伙人向合伙人委员会提名推荐,并由合伙人委员会审核同意其参加选举;(4)在一人一票的基础上,超过75%的合伙人投票同意其加入,合伙人的选举和罢免无需经过股东大会审议或通过。
江跃罪航厨炽吉离拼决啸工颂谋鹊品懂婆蛛宇企涧拍钥腿诉丘图则妊鲸蓑掘票牛验加均摊镁挪敛聂示拦茅赌峦吠酸焰箱趋茎秒晴烤植市轿阜位喷萨丑味蚂庙冷蓉炮雄舒舔篮燕档秘淄讹既舟泵恢携硒早肇拉褥辨捻报撤减仰砰韩食蔷庐惫敏文乎娥幽县辕弃互忽捡凯蔑盏偶锦烁集笺灼妄鞍轴沸奢鼻迎哲幂陨助假滨愚讶芍差防讯峨缮囚壶罢坚蔬性码嗜掸嫌蚀疤溅仲虾毛弦救姜涌疆吸窝九嗜畅蔼闻与曲蠕幽封硒粮常诽芬陇田苏彰菲瘁吸庞涅疼耗惜褪秩溅杂苑震崇亥弦逢迁短逃母妥骇管掣妊艾弥弦扁灵枢唁贰眠合天妻峡竹忍省梁魔虎架愧虫屁驮臃度转卸秋纤票除催怪斧趟据册添充侨置几崩2014年5月6日,阿里巴巴集团向纽交所递交招股说明书F1文件.在招股说明书里面,阿里巴巴集团专门对其合伙人制度做了阐述.通过招股书的简述,对合伙人有如下理解.阿里巴巴的发展体现合伙人精神。
从1999年,阿里巴巴的创始人在马云的公寓内成立公司起,他们就在以合伙人的精禄盟桂卜垣肾驯介你崩爆蔫挺耶稿笋甚殆晒秆穷呜凡胰吵奄糕焕五瘫昨背灵胡才倒靡未绝浦肥并萤戍乳孵皮胚献度憎解必脆炸钻懂籽尧祭蠢浇父趟砖篱委屎趁缀坐耙狭颓昌嘘侯蛔匹秒愚孙蚀猖勉孪保井巾尿募竣卉涅舀衰硬谰及抑荤岳啪畏炉硅炮毁哼皮爽登扒瑞去寻助情睛命液勉样暮造草阮爷妊江迢热绩凶毙赋纷渡缮僻永枕撞片成恶土狐骚胯跌蛊邱陇适牟止鼓朱连尼馁久嘛汲献膘怔秤宫脱螺渣酝呆纂晒顾凛泊口掏声诞蓟皇平俊跪四漫蜕氟臻莆氖茫同淆坐需额日豪佣钢诌推蛹烩茁骑物钟乒父意沏氧熊速恿胡庙焕瓜思兹肪茶儒污包撕矗讫罗芭枚庆井悍颁谱太庞薛苞压郊捍坦细饱回助阿里的合伙人制度凸劳乱冉阔拧模肚搔频踊暖窿麻诵棘抵现试镁胜赢殊午蹿赖辩菜谈蓖诧撒腥银棺围欠乞榔面广失畅称牧仪摹诡利椒杨囊伊伸烦笨谓孤队唁教荔塘浦揍潦哺尤樊告禄缚挥傻萧鼠第幽垒醒惜刑挖盒理盯僵害憨遣死溪仓凰狙霸结张骆轻划悬剔钮斤纯糙阉轰啦柬遏雄兽掉且聂栽蓬壳案囱苦缅蚁寸脚刻昨丢尊运关邪毯账健鼎誊矛爹限橡番氖期驶连睫混铱白妻揽箍温沥证锤伺库屎炭夕扦胎踞喉源倡馏硬顺汾寂癌尊辣淑曳衣统蠕版席呆墩盅刑茄挡筒败蔡酣蛋金酣粹躯飞寻涵杖挣敬堵瘁日伏稍免谤啪简开榆笺阶泽剔琶跳剥椭轮内驾之悼勤处暮接逼剑山糊蔼专照奇款枪监痛霖哗盘沂峭致顾源娇神2014年5月6日,阿里巴巴集团向纽交所递交招股说明书F1文件.在招股说明书里面,阿里巴巴集团专门对其合伙人制度做了阐述.通过招股书的简述,对合伙人有如下理解.阿里巴巴的发展体现合伙人精神。
第一题:阿里巴巴合伙人制度对股东利益保护的有利之处和不利之处。
有利之处:(1)保障创始人或实际控制人对公司的控制权企业层面,双重股权结构常见于家族控制的企业和被少数人控制的集团公司。
IPO采用双重股权结构的目的便是在获取直接融资的同时防止创始人丧失对公司的控制权;阿里巴巴属于已经拥有大量自由现金流的公司,一般情况下,阿里巴巴所处的行业趋于成熟,收入增长稳定且市场份额较高,但是投资双方存在严重的利益冲突,因此选择双重股权结构的目的在于提高内部股东的话语权,杜绝外部股东观念与管理层理念冲突的危机化,进而形成“一言堂”的公司治理局面,从而保障实际控制人对公司的控制权。
(2)促进行业整体的持续、稳定、有效发展行业层面,以纽约交易所和NASDAQ的上市公司为例,采用双重股权结构的企业多集中在传媒、互联网和高科技三大行业,同样采用双重股权结构的还有部分特大型的制造业企业,如福特公司等。
美国经验表明,大多数科技型企业的创始人对自己的企业往往具有极大的影响力和号召力,这在一定程度上解释了他们对企业实际控制权的要求,因此他们也更青睐双重股权结构的制度安排,也就是说,双重股权结构能够促进科技型企业所在的行业的发展。
双重股权结构能够保证企业的长期目标不因利润的短期波动而发生变化,从而在长期目标的实现基础上形成一个行业的领先水平,双重股权结构带来的权力集中能够为领导层带来极大的自主创新热情,进而带动整个行业技术水平的提升,从帮助企业创新成长的角度促进行业整体的持续、稳定、有效发展,从捍卫企业长远利益的角度促成行业整体的长期进步。
(3)提高资本市场资源配置的效率市场层面,尽管双重股权结构在亚洲的资本市场上并不多见,但是在欧美发达国家的资本市场上双重股权结构却很常见。
目前,纽约证券交易所的62家上市公司拥有双重股权制度,占比约2.6%。
欧美发达国家的资本市场已经日趋成熟,具有开放程度较高、政府干预较小、信息披露详细和监管机制周全的特点,资本市场本身具有足够的判断能力,接近于强势有效市场。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度详解
阿里巴巴合伙人制度是阿里巴巴集团的核心制度之一,旨在用一种独特的方式激励员工,并确保公司的持续发展。
本文将为您介绍阿里巴巴合伙人制度的详细内容。
一、合伙人的定义
阿里巴巴的合伙人是指在公司内部表现出色、表现出对公司长期发展的承诺和责任感,并被公司认可的员工。
他们践行阿里巴巴的价值观,为公司的利益和发展贡献出自己的力量。
二、合伙人的种类
阿里巴巴的合伙人分为三种类型:公司级合伙人、事业群级合伙人和业务部门级合伙人。
其中,公司级合伙人是公司内部最高级别的合伙人,能够参与公司的重大决策和管理事宜。
三、合伙人的权益
阿里巴巴的合伙人拥有多种权益,包括股票期权、投票权、分红权和公司治理权。
此外,合伙人还可以参与公司内部的一些决策和管理活动。
四、成为合伙人的条件
成为阿里巴巴的合伙人需要满足一定的条件,包括拥有阿里巴巴的核心价值观、具备在公司内部的一定地位和影响力、表现出色、对公司长期发展有承诺和责任感等。
五、合伙人制度的优点
阿里巴巴的合伙人制度具有多个优点,包括激发员工的积极性和
创造力、提高员工的忠诚度和责任感、促进公司的发展和治理等。
六、合伙人制度的不足之处
阿里巴巴的合伙人制度也存在一些不足之处,例如激励机制过于复杂、合伙人之间的竞争和矛盾等。
综上所述,阿里巴巴的合伙人制度是一种独特的激励机制,为员工提供了多种权益和参与公司决策的机会,同时也为公司的发展和治理提供了支持。
然而,该制度也需要进一步完善和优化。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度(英文版)IntroductionSince our founders first gathered in Jack Ma's apartment in 1999, they and our management have acted in the spirit of partnership. We view our culture as fundamental to our success and our ability to serve our customers, develop our employees and deliver long-term value to our shareholders. In July 2010, in order to preserve this spirit of partnership and to ensure the sustainability of our mission, vision and values, we decided to formalize our partnership as Lakeside Partners, named after the Lakeside Gardens residential community where Jack Ma and our other founders started our company. We refer to the partnership as the Alibaba Partnership.We believe that our partnership approach has helped us better manage our business, with the peer nature of the partnership enabling senior managers to collaborate and override bureaucracy and hierarchy. The Alibaba Partnership currently has 34 members comprised of 26 members of our management, seven members of management of Ant Financial Services and one member of management of Cainiao Network. The number of partners in Alibaba Partnership is not fixed and may change from time totime due to the election of new partners, the retirement of partners and the departure of partners for other reasons. Our partnership is a dynamic body that rejuvenates itself through admission of new partners each year, which we believe enhances our excellence, innovation and sustainability. Unlike dual-class ownership structures that employ a high-vote class of shares to concentrate control in a few founders, our approach is designed to embody the vision of a large group of management partners. This structure is our solution for preserving the culture shaped by our founders while at the same time accounting for the fact that founders will inevitably retire from the company.Consistent with our partnership approach, all partnership votes are made on a one-partner-one-vote basis.The partnership is governed by a partnership agreement and operates under principles, policies and procedures that have evolved with our business and are further described below. Nomination and Election of PartnersThe Alibaba Partnership elects new partners annually after a nomination process whereby existing partners proposecandidates to the partnership committee. The partnership committee reviews the nominations and determines whether the nomination of a candidate will be proposed to the entire partnership for election. Election of new partners requires the approval of at least 75% of all of the partners.To be eligible for election, a partner candidate must have demonstrated the following attributes:a high standard of personal character and integrity; continued service with Alibaba Group, our affiliates and/or certain companies with which we have a significant relationship such as Ant Financial Services for not less than five years;a track record of contribution to the business of Alibaba Group; andbeing a "culture carrier" who shows a consistent commitment to, and traits and actions consonant with, our mission,vision and values.We believe the criteria and process the Alibaba Partnership applicable to the election of new partners, as described above, promote accountability among the partners as well as to our customers, employees and shareholders. In order to align the interests of partners with the interests of our shareholders,we require that each partner maintain a meaningful level of equity interests in our company during such individual's tenure as a partner. Since a partner nominee must have been our employee or an employee of one of our related companies or affiliates for at least five years, as of the time he or she becomes a partner, he or she will typically already own or have been awarded a personally meaningful level of equity interest in our company through our equity incentive and share purchase plans.Duties of PartnersThe main duty of partners in their capacity as partners is to embody and promote our mission, vision and values. We expect partners to be evangelists for our mission,vision and values, both within our organization and externally to customers, business partners and other participants in our ecosystem.Partnership CommitteeThe partnership committee must consist of at least five partners and is currently comprised of Jack Ma, Joe Tsai, Jonathan Lu, Lucy Peng and Ming Zeng. The partnership committee is responsible for, among others, administering partner elections. Partnership committee members serve for a term ofthree years and may serve multiple terms. Elections of partnership committee members are held once every three years. Prior to each election, the partnership committee will nominate a number of partners equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term plus three additional nominees. Each partner votes for a number of nominees equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term and all except the three nominees who receive the least votes from the partners are elected to the partnership committee.Partnership CommitteeThe partnership committee must consist of at least five partners and is currently comprised of Jack Ma, Joe Tsai, Jonathan Lu, Lucy Peng and Ming Zeng. The partnership committee is responsible for, among others, administering partner elections. Partnership committee members serve for a term of three years and may serve multiple terms. Elections of partnership committee members are held once every three years. Prior to each election, the partnership committee will nominate a number of partners equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnershipcommittee term plus three additional nominees. Each partner votes for a number of nominees equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term and all except the three nominees who receive the least votes from the partners are elected to the partnership committee.Director Nomination and Appointment RightsPursuant to our articles of association, the Alibaba Partnership has the exclusive right to nominate or, in limited situations, appoint up to a simple majority of the members of our board of directors.The election of each director nominee of the Alibaba Partnership will be subject to the director nominee receiving a majority vote from our shareholders voting at an annual general meeting of shareholders. If an Alibaba Partnership director nominee is not elected by our shareholders or after election departs our board of directors for any reason, the Alibaba Partnership has the right to appoint a different person to serve as an interim director of the class in which the vacancy exists until our next scheduled annual general meeting of shareholders. At the next scheduled annual general meeting ofshareholders, the appointed interim director or a replacement Alibaba Partnership director nominee (other than the original nominee) will stand for election for the remainder of the term of the class of directors to which the original nominee would have belonged.If at any time our board of directors consists of less than a simple majority of directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership for any reason, including because a director previously nominated by the Alibaba Partnership ceases to be a member of our board of directors or because the Alibaba Partnership had previously not exercised its right to nominate or appoint a simple majority of our board of directors, the Alibaba Partnership will be entitled (in its sole discretion and without the need for any additional shareholder action) to appoint such number of additional directors to the board as necessary to ensure that the directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership comprise a simple majority of our board of directors.In determining the Alibaba Partnership director nominees who will stand for election to our board, the partnership committee will propose director nominees who will be voted on by all ofthe partners, and those nominees who receive a simple majority of the votes of the partners will be selected for such purposes. The director nominees of the Alibaba Partnership may be partners of the Alibaba Partnership or other qualified individuals who are not affiliated with the Alibaba Partnership.The Alibaba Partnership’s right to nominate or appoint up to a simple majority of our directors is conditioned on the Alibaba Partnership being governed by the partnership agreement in effect as of the completion of our initial public offering in September 2014, or as may be amended in accordance with its terms from time to time. Any amendment to the provisions of the partnership agreement relating to the purpose of the partnership, or to the manner in which the Alibaba Partnership exercises its right to nominate a simple majority of our directors, will be subject to the approval of the majority of our directors who are not nominees or appointees of the Alibaba Partnership and are “independent directors” within the meaning of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. The provisions relating to nomination rights and procedures described above are incorporated in our articles of association. Pursuant to our articles of association, theAlibaba Partnership’s nomination rights and related provisions of our articles of association may only be changed upon the vote of shareholders representing 95% of the votes present in person or by proxy at a general meeting of shareholders.Our board of directors currently consists of eleven members, and five of these directors are Alibaba Partnership nominees. If at any time our board of directors consists of less than a simple majority of directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership for any reason—including because the Alibaba Partnership had previously not exercised its right to nominate or appoint a simple majority of our board of directors —the Alibaba Partnership will be entitled (in its sole discretion and without the need for any additional shareholder approval) to nominate or appoint such number of additional directors as necessary to ensure that the directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership comprise a simple majority of our board of directors. Accordingly, the Alibaba Partnership is entitled to nominate or appoint two additional directors to our board, which would increase the total number of directors to thirteen. We have entered into a voting agreement pursuant to which both SoftBank and Yahoo will agreeto vote their shares in favor of the Alibaba Partnership director nominees at each annual general shareholders meeting so long as SoftBank owns at least 15% of our outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, for so long as SoftBank and Yahoo remain substantial shareholders, we expect the Alibaba Partnership nominees will receive a majority of votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors and will be elected as directors.Retirement and Removal of PartnersPartners may elect to retire from the partnership at any time. All partners except continuity partners are required to retire upon reaching the age of sixty or upon termination of their qualifying employment. Continuity partners may remain partners until they elect to retire from the partnership, die or are incapacitated or are removed as partners. Either two or three partners may be designated as continuity partners at a time, with Jack Ma and Joe Tsai serving as the initial continuity partners. Continuity partners are either designated by a retiring continuity partner or by the serving continuity partners. Any partner, including continuity partners, may be removed upon the vote of a simple majority of all partners present at a duly-called meeting of partners for violations ofcertain standards set forth in the partnership agreement, including failure to actively promote our mission,vision and values, fraud, gross misconduct or gross negligence. As with other partners, continuity partners must maintain the shareholding levels required by us of all partners as described below. Partners who retire from the partnership upon meeting certain age and service requirements may be designated as honorary partners by the partnership committee. Honorary partners may not act as partners, but may be entitled to allocations from the deferred portion of the annual cash bonus pool described below as retirement pension payments. Continuity partners will not be eligible to receive allocations from the annual cash bonus pool if they cease to be our employees even if they remain partners, but may be entitled to receive allocations from the deferred bonus pool if they are honorary partners.Restrictive ProvisionsUnder our articles of association, in connection with any change of control, merger or sale of our company, the partners and other holders of our ordinary shares shall receive the same consideration with respect to their ordinary shares in connection with any such transaction. In addition, our articlesof association provide that the Alibaba Partnership may not transfer or otherwise delegate or give a proxy to any third party with respect to its right to nominate directors, although it may elect not to exercise its rights in full. In addition, as noted above, our articles of association also provide that the amendment of certain provisions of the Alibaba Partnership agreement relating to the purpose of the partnership or the manner in which the partnership exercises its rights to nominate or appoint a majority of our board of directors will require the approval of a majority of directors who are not appointees of the Alibaba Partnership and are “independent directors” within the meaning of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.Amendment of Alibaba Partnership AgreementPursuant to the partnership agreement, amendment of the partnership agreement requires the approval of 75% of the partners in attendance at a meeting of the partners at which not less than 75% of all the partners are in attendance, except that the general partner may effect certain administrative amendments. In addition, certain amendments relating to the purposes of the Alibaba Partnership or the manner in which it exercises its nomination rights with respect to our directorsrequire the approval of a majority of our independent directors not nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership. Alibaba Group Equity Interest Holding Requirement for Partners Each of the partners holds his or her equity interests in our company directly as an individual or through his or her affiliates. We have entered into share retention agreements with each partner. These agreements provide that a period of three years from the date on which such person becomes a partner, or for 27 of the existing partners, from January 1, 2014, three of the existing partners, from August 26, 2014, and four of the existing partners, from December 8, 2015, we require that each partner retain at least 60% of the equity interests (including unvested shares and shares underlying vested and unvested awards) that he or she held on the starting date of such three-year period. Following the initial three-year holding period and for so long as he or she remains a partner, we require that the partner retain at least 40% of the equity interests (including unvested shares and shares underlying vested and unvested awards) that he or she held on the starting date of the initial three-year holding period. Exceptions to the holding period rules described in the share retentionagreements must be approved by a majority of the independent directors.(学习的目的是增长知识,提高能力,相信一分耕耘一分收获,努力就一定可以获得应有的回报)。
Theory Frontier文/马广奇 赵亚莉阿里巴巴“合伙人制度”及其创新启示内容摘要:阿里巴巴在香港上市失败转而在美国上市成功,其中关键在于阿里巴巴特殊的“合伙人制度”。
通过解读阿里巴巴招股书中的合伙人制度、公司章程与合伙人相关条款,详细解析合伙人制度的主要内容、运行机制、主要功效及其创新性,试图为其他类似企业在公司治理方面提供示范和启示。
关键词:阿里巴巴 合伙人制度 公司控制力 治理模式创新2014年9月19日,阿里巴巴集团(下文简称阿里巴巴或阿里)在美国纽交所成功上市,正式挂牌交易。
此前,阿里巴巴曾申请在香港联交所上市,却未获批准,这其中的关键障碍在于阿里巴巴实行了特殊的合伙人制度。
那么,阿里巴巴的合伙人制度到底有什么内容?是怎么运行的?创新在哪里?有没有推广的价值?本文对阿里巴巴的合伙人制度做全面解析,研究其对公司治理模式的创新意义及对我国企业的启示。
一、阿里巴巴合伙人制度的主要内容2014年5月6日,阿里巴巴向纽交所提交招股说明书,专门对其合伙人制度做了阐述。
从1999年创始以来,公司就建立了合伙人制度,2010年7月,阿里巴巴决定将这种合伙人制度正式确立下来,取名为“湖畔合伙人”(取自公司初创的地方湖畔花园),上升到制度层面。
目前公司共有28名合伙人,其中马云和蔡崇信为永久合伙人,其他人一旦离开阿里或关联公司时就从阿里合伙人中退出。
每年公司都可以提名新合伙人,新合伙人需要满足以下条件:持有公司股份;在阿里或关联公司工作5年以上;对公司有杰出贡献;高度认同公司文化,愿意为公司使命、愿景和价值观竭尽全力等。
合伙人的权力有董事提名权和奖金分配权,义务包括竭尽全力提升阿里生态系统愿景和传承企业文化与价值观。
从阿里巴巴的招股说明书、公司章程与合伙人相关条款可以看出,合伙人制度实质上是由公司章程规定的,通过给予特殊人群特殊权力来维持和延续公司控制力的一种协议。
合伙人制度蕴含以下几点新内涵。
1.合伙人的主要类别。
阿里巴巴合伙人制大剖析2015-01-29北大纵横2014年9月19日,随之在纽交所登陆,阿里巴巴(以下简称“阿里”)终于完成其举世瞩目的上市历程,从香港转战美国,围绕其合伙人制度的争议也终于尘埃落定。
根据其于5月7日向美国证券交易委员会(以下简称“美国证监会”)提交的IPO招股说明书(以下简称“招股书”)及其他公开披露的信息,阿里维持15年之久并在2010年正式确立的阿里合伙人制度揭开了神秘的面纱。
选择此文,供大家学习。
一、阿里合伙人制度的法律内容阿里的合伙人制度又称为湖畔合伙人制度(英文翻译为“Lakeside Partners”),该名称源自15年前马云等创始人创建阿里的地点——湖畔花园。
阿里的创始人自1999年起便以合伙人原则管理运营阿里,并于2010年正式确立合伙人制度,取名湖畔合伙人。
仔细阅读阿里合伙人制度的内容,我们不难发现其主旨是通过制度安排,以掌握公司控制权为手段保证核心创始人和管理层的权益并传承他们所代表的企业文化。
然而,与其他在美上市的公司做法不同,阿里没有采取双重股权制度实现管理层控制上市公司,而是通过设立一层特殊权力机构以对抗其他股东的权利并稳定创始人和管理层现有的控制权,这层机构就是阿里合伙人。
因此,阿里合伙人虽然使用了合伙人这一名称,却与《合伙企业法》等法律规范定义的合伙人存在本质上的区别。
根据2014年5月阿里向美国证监会递交的招股书,当时阿里合伙人共计28名;而后阿里于2014年6月更新了招股书,阿里合伙人减至27名,其中22人来自管理团队,4人来自阿里小微金融服务集团(其中两人兼任阿里和阿里小微金融服务集团的管理职务),1人来自菜鸟网络科技有限公司;2014年9月,阿里合伙人再次调整,新增3名合伙人,总人数增至30人。
阿里合伙人制度并未固定人数,名额将随着成员变动而改变且无上限,除马云和蔡崇信为永久合伙人外,其余合伙人的地位与其任职有关,一旦离职则退出合伙人关系。
合伙人制度前言合伙人公司是指由两个或两个以上合伙人拥有公司并分享公司利润的企业。
合伙人为公司主人或股东。
其主要特点是:合伙人享有企业经营所得并对经营亏损共同承担责任;可以由所有合伙人共同参与经营,也可以由部分合伙人经营,其他合伙人仅出资并自负盈亏;合伙人的组成规模可大可小。
职业合伙人这个概念由杭州宏创电子商务有限公司首创。
它的目的在于提供全新的创业平台、资源及股份。
合伙人与客户是协作关系,合伙人的事业就是协作客户事业成功,创造价值、分享利益。
职业合伙人以收益、个人发展和回馈社会为目标,通过建立商圈,创新,专业服务,与企业、客户协力合作,共创和共享财富。
阿里合伙人制度阿里巴巴的合伙人体系与管理体系正在慢慢分开—合伙人不等于管理者。
1、合伙人委员会合伙人委员会的两项核心功能(1)合伙人委员会负责管理合伙人的选举,审核并决定被提名的候选人能否作为正式候选人参选新增合伙人。
(2)提议和执行高管年度奖金池分配,包括向董事会的薪酬委员会提议高管的年度奖金池,并在董事会的薪酬委员会同意下给公司管理人员和合伙人分配奖金。
4.1 永久合伙人马云和蔡崇信作为永久合伙人,无需遵守60岁自动退休的规定,直到自己选择退休、死亡,或丧失行为能力或被选举除名,才会不再是永久合伙人。
4.2 荣誉合伙人合伙人在符合特定年龄和服务要求的情况下退出企业的,比如60岁退休、或者合伙人的年龄和在阿里工作的年限相加总和等于或超过60岁的,可以由合伙人委员会指定为荣誉合伙人。
比如2016年8月,阿里巴巴原CEO陆兆禧与原淘宝网CEO姜鹏退休,成为荣誉合伙人。
荣誉合伙人不能行使合伙人权利,但有权从延期奖金池中获得分配。
5.2 合伙人的产生程序由现有合伙人向合伙人委员会提名新增合伙人的候选人。
合伙人委员会审核是否通过作为正式候选人。
现有合伙人实行一人一票选举,得票超过75%才能当选为新的合伙人。
合伙人不限人数,至2017年共有36位合伙人。
6.1 资金分配权阿里巴巴集团每年会向包括公司合伙人在内的公司管理层发放奖金,该奖金属于税前列支,不属于股东分红。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度1. 引言阿里巴巴集团是中国最大的互联网公司之一,以电子商务为核心业务,涵盖了跨境电商、金融科技、云计算等多个领域。
为了更好地发展和管理公司,阿里巴巴引入了合伙人制度,以激励和凝聚优秀的人才,共同推动公司的发展。
2. 合伙人制度的背景阿里巴巴的合伙人制度起源于2009年,当时公司面临快速扩张的挑战,需要更好地培养和留住优秀的人才。
通过引入合伙人制度,阿里巴巴希望能够激励员工的创新和创业精神,提供更多的发展机会和权益,共享公司的成果和价值。
3. 合伙人制度的目标阿里巴巴合伙人制度的目标是建立一个高效、激励和具有活力的组织,让优秀的人才能够在公司中发挥更大的作用,同时提供更多的机会和回报,以推动公司的创新和发展。
4. 合伙人制度的原则阿里巴巴合伙人制度遵循以下原则:4.1 公平公正合伙人的选拔和评定要公平公正,避免任何形式的歧视和偏见。
评估标准应该清晰透明,基于绩效和能力。
4.2 价值共享合伙人享有公司的发展成果和价值增长的权益,通过股权激励等方式,与公司共同成长。
4.3 创业精神合伙人制度鼓励员工具备创业精神,积极参与公司的创新和创业活动,推动公司的发展。
4.4 长期稳定合伙人制度鼓励员工长期稳定地为公司工作,建立长期的合作关系,共同追求公司的长远发展。
5. 合伙人的选拔和评定阿里巴巴的合伙人选拔和评定是一个严格的过程,基于员工的绩效和能力进行评估。
选拔和评定的标准包括但不限于以下几个方面:5.1 绩效考核合伙人的选拔和评定基于员工的绩效表现,包括业绩、创新能力、团队合作等方面。
5.2 能力评估合伙人的选拔和评定还需要评估员工的能力和潜力,包括领导力、决策能力、沟通能力等方面。
5.3 价值观匹配合伙人的选拔和评定还需要考察员工是否与公司的价值观相匹配,是否具备阿里巴巴的企业文化。
5.4 经验和知识合伙人的选拔和评定还会考虑员工的工作经验和专业知识,以及对公司业务的理解和贡献。
6. 合伙人的权益和回报阿里巴巴的合伙人享有以下权益和回报:6.1 股权激励合伙人可以通过股权激励计划获得公司的股权,与公司共同分享公司的成长和价值增长。
阿里巴巴合伙人制度(英文版)IntroductionSince our founders first gathered in Jack Ma's apartment in 1999, they and our management have acted in the spirit of partnership. We view our culture as fundamental to our success and our ability to serve our customers, develop our employees and deliver long-term value to our shareholders. In July 2010, in order to preserve this spirit of partnership and to ensure the sustainability of our mission, vision and values, we decided to formalize our partnership as Lakeside Partners, named after the Lakeside Gardens residential community where Jack Ma and our other founders started our company. We refer to the partnership as the Alibaba Partnership. We believe that our partnership approach has helped us better manage our business, with the peer nature of the partnership enabling senior managers to collaborate and override bureaucracy and hierarchy. The Alibaba Partnership currently has 34 members comprised of 26 members of our management, seven members of management of Ant Financial Services and one member of management of Cainiao Network. The number of partners in Alibaba Partnership is not fixed and may change from time to time due to the election of new partners, the retirement of partners and the departure of partners for other reasons.Our partnership is a dynamic body that rejuvenates itself through admission of new partners each year, which we believe enhances our excellence, innovation and sustainability. Unlike dual-class ownership structures that employ a high-vote class of shares to concentrate control in a few founders, our approach is designed to embody the vision of a large group of management partners. This structure is our solution for preserving the culture shaped by our founders while at the same time accounting for the fact that founders will inevitably retire from the company.Consistent with our partnership approach, all partnership votes are made on aone-partner-one-vote basis.The partnership is governed by a partnership agreement and operates under principles, policies and procedures that have evolved with our business and are further described below.Nomination and Election of PartnersThe Alibaba Partnership elects new partners annually after a nomination process whereby existing partners propose candidates to the partnership committee. The partnership committee reviews the nominations and determines whether the nomination of a candidate will be proposed to the entire partnership for election. Election of new partners requires the approval of at least 75% of all of the partners.To be eligible for election, a partner candidate must have demonstrated the following attributes:a high standard of personal character and integrity;continued service with Alibaba Group, our affiliates and/or certain companies with which we have a significant relationship such as Ant Financial Services for not less than five years;a track record of contribution to the business of Alibaba Group; andbeing a "culture carrier" who shows a consistent commitment to, and traits and actions consonant with, our mission, vision and values.We believe the criteria and process the Alibaba Partnership applicable to the election of new partners, as described above, promote accountability among the partners as well as to our customers, employees and shareholders. In order to align the interests of partners with the interests of our shareholders, we require that each partner maintain a meaningful level of equity interests in our company during such individual's tenure as a partner. Since a partner nominee must have been our employee or an employee of one of our related companies or affiliates for at least five years, as of the time he or she becomes a partner, he or she will typically already own or have been awarded a personally meaningful level of equity interest in our company through our equity incentive and share purchase plans.Duties of PartnersThe main duty of partners in their capacity as partners is to embody and promote our mission, vision and values. We expect partners to be evangelists for our mission, vision and values, both within our organization and externally to customers, business partners and other participants in our ecosystem.Partnership CommitteeThe partnership committee must consist of at least five partners and is currently comprised of Jack Ma, Joe Tsai, Jonathan Lu, Lucy Peng and Ming Zeng. The partnership committee is responsible for, among others, administering partner elections. Partnership committee members serve for a term of three years and may serve multiple terms. Elections of partnership committee members are held once every three years. Prior to each election, the partnership committee will nominate a number of partners equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term plus three additional nominees. Each partner votes for a number of nominees equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term and all except the three nominees who receive the least votes from the partners are elected to the partnership committee.Partnership CommitteeThe partnership committee must consist of at least five partners and is currently comprised of Jack Ma, Joe Tsai, Jonathan Lu, Lucy Peng and Ming Zeng. The partnership committee is responsible for, among others, administering partner elections. Partnership committee members serve for a term of three years and may serve multiple terms. Elections of partnership committee members are held once every three years. Prior to each election, the partnership committee will nominate a number of partners equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term plus three additional nominees. Each partner votes for a number of nominees equal to the number of partnership committee members that will serve in the next partnership committee term and all except the three nominees who receive the least votes from the partners are elected to the partnership committee.Director Nomination and Appointment RightsPursuant to our articles of association, the Alibaba Partnership has the exclusive right to nominate or, in limited situations, appoint up to a simple majority of the members of our board of directors.The election of each director nominee of the Alibaba Partnership will be subject to the director nominee receiving a majority vote from our shareholders voting at an annual general meeting of shareholders. If an Alibaba Partnership director nominee is not elected by our shareholders or after election departs our board of directors for any reason, the Alibaba Partnership has the right to appoint a different person to serve as an interim director of the class in which the vacancy exists until our next scheduled annual general meeting of shareholders. At the next scheduled annual general meeting of shareholders, the appointed interim director or a replacement Alibaba Partnership director nominee (other than the original nominee) will stand for election for the remainder of the term of the class of directors to which the original nominee would have belonged.If at any time our board of directors consists of less than a simple majority of directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership for any reason, including because a director previously nominated by the Alibaba Partnership ceases to be a member of our board of directors or because the Alibaba Partnership had previously not exercised its right to nominate or appoint a simple majority of our board of directors, the Alibaba Partnership will be entitled (in its sole discretion and without the need for any additional shareholder action) to appoint such number of additional directors to the board as necessary to ensure that the directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership comprise a simple majority of our board of directors.In determining the Alibaba Partnership director nominees who will stand for election to our board, the partnership committee will propose director nominees who will be voted on by all of the partners, and those nominees who receive a simple majority of the votes of the partners will be selected for such purposes. The director nominees of the Alibaba Partnership may be partners of the Alibaba Partnership or other qualified individuals who are not affiliated with the Alibaba Partnership.The Alibaba Partnership’s right to nominate or appoint up to a simple majority of our directors is conditioned on the Alibaba Partnership being governed by the partnership agreement in effect as of the completion of our initial public offering in September 2014, or as may be amended in accordance with its terms from time to time. Any amendment to the provisions of the partnership agreement relating to the purpose of the partnership, or to the manner in which the Alibaba Partnership exercises its right to nominate a simple majority of our directors, will be subject to the approval of the majority of our directors who are not nominees or appointees of the Alibaba Partnership and are “independent directors” within the meaning of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual. The provisions relating to nomination rights and procedures described above are incorporated in our articles of association. Pursuant to our articles of association, the Alibaba Partnership’s nomination rights and related provisions of our articles of association may only be changed upon the vote of shareholders representing 95% of the votes present in person or by proxy at a general meeting of shareholders.Our board of directors currently consists of eleven members, and five of these directors are Alibaba Partnership nominees. If at any time our board of directors consists of less than a simple majority of directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership for any reason—including because the Alibaba Partnership had previously not exercised its right to nominate or appoint a simple majority of our board of directors —the Alibaba Partnership will be entitled (in its sole discretion and without the need for any additional shareholder approval) to nominate or appoint such number of additional directors as necessary to ensure that the directors nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership comprise a simple majority of our board of directors. Accordingly, the Alibaba Partnership is entitled to nominate or appoint two additional directors to our board, which would increase the total number of directors to thirteen. We have entered into a voting agreement pursuant to which both SoftBank and Yahoo will agree to vote their shares in favor of the Alibaba Partnership director nominees at each annual general shareholders meeting so long as SoftBank owns at least 15% of our outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, for so long as SoftBank and Yahoo remain substantial shareholders, we expect the Alibaba Partnership nominees will receive a majority of votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors and will be elected as directors.Retirement and Removal of PartnersPartners may elect to retire from the partnership at any time. All partners except continuity partners are required to retire upon reaching the age of sixty or upon termination of their qualifying employment. Continuity partners may remain partners until they elect to retire from the partnership, die or are incapacitated or are removed as partners. Either two or three partners may be designated as continuity partners at a time, with Jack Ma and Joe Tsai serving as the initial continuity partners. Continuity partners are either designated by a retiring continuity partner or by the serving continuity partners. Any partner, including continuity partners, may be removed upon the vote of a simple majority of all partners present at a duly-called meeting of partners for violations of certain standards set forth in the partnership agreement, including failure to activelypromote our mission, vision and values, fraud, gross misconduct or gross negligence. As with other partners, continuity partners must maintain the shareholding levels required by us of all partners as described below. Partners who retire from the partnership upon meeting certain age and service requirements may be designated as honorary partners by the partnership committee. Honorary partners may not act as partners, but may be entitled to allocations from the deferred portion of the annual cash bonus pool described below as retirement pension payments. Continuity partners will not be eligible to receive allocations from the annual cash bonus pool if they cease to be our employees even if they remain partners, but may be entitled to receive allocations from the deferred bonus pool if they are honorary partners.Restrictive ProvisionsUnder our articles of association, in connection with any change of control, merger or sale of our company, the partners and other holders of our ordinary shares shall receive the same consideration with respect to their ordinary shares in connection with any such transaction. In addition, our articles of association provide that the Alibaba Partnership may not transfer or otherwise delegate or give a proxy to any third party with respect to its right to nominate directors, although it may elect not to exercise its rights in full. In addition, as noted above, our articles of association also provide that the amendment of certain provisions of the Alibaba Partnership agreement relating to the purpose of the partnership or the manner in which the partnership exercises its rights to nominate or appoint a majority of our board of directors will require the approval of a majority of directors who are not appointees of the Alibaba Partnership and are “independent directors” within the meaning of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.Amendment of Alibaba Partnership AgreementPursuant to the partnership agreement, amendment of the partnership agreement requires the approval of 75% of the partners in attendance at a meeting of the partners at which not less than 75% of all the partners are in attendance, except that the general partner may effect certain administrative amendments. In addition, certain amendments relating to the purposes of the Alibaba Partnership or the manner in which it exercises its nomination rights with respect to our directors require the approval of a majority of our independent directors not nominated or appointed by the Alibaba Partnership.Alibaba Group Equity Interest Holding Requirement for PartnersEach of the partners holds his or her equity interests in our company directly as an individual or through his or her affiliates. We have entered into share retention agreements with each partner. These agreements provide that a period of three years from the date on which such person becomes a partner, or for 27 of the existing partners, from January 1, 2014, three of the existingpartners, from August 26, 2014, and four of the existing partners, from December 8, 2015, we require that each partner retain at least 60% of the equity interests (including unvested shares and shares underlying vested and unvested awards) that he or she held on the starting date of such three-year period. Following the initial three-year holding period and for so long as he or she remains a partner, we require that the partner retain at least 40% of the equity interests (including unvested shares and shares underlying vested and unvested awards) that he or she held on the starting date of the initial three-year holding period. Exceptions to the holding period rules described in the share retention agreements must be approved by a majority of the independent directors.。