(FILE)

Ma Yun (better known as Jack Ma), Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Alibaba Group, has vowed to make his e-business company known to the world with its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.

"Today, 15 years have passed, and we've grown so significantly and have become a household name in China," Ma said in a promotional video. "And now, we are ready for the world to get to know us."

Ma created the business-to-business e-commerce platform Alibaba in 1999. In May 2003, he founded retail website Taobao.com, and in December the following year, Ma launched Alipay, which is now China's leading third-party online payment solution.

Born in 1964 in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Ma is one of the most widely recognized representatives of China's Internet entrepreneurs. He was named the richest man in China earlier this year, with his wealth valued at over 134 billion yuan ($21.8 billion).