The Alibaba News Roundup is a weekly digest of events and happenings across the company. This week looks at a new partnership with Dunhill and an immersive, livestreamed tour of Switzerland. Also covered is Alibaba Investor Day, during which executives shared key updates from across the company.
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Alibaba Shares Key Updates During Investor Day Event
At this year’s Alibaba Investor Day, Chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang shared the company’s key strategies to help merchants, consumers and economies bounce back after the pandemic. “In the midst of so many uncertainties, the future of digitalization is the biggest certainty we can see. Digitalization is the biggest opportunity of our time,” Zhang said. During the event, Alibaba CFO Maggie Wu also provided greater insights into the company’s Digital Economy, especially its new or non-core commerce business operations. For more information on what was shared during the three-day event, read our Investor Day 2020 recap.
AACA Launches SME Advisory Committee
The Alibaba Anti-Counterfeiting Alliance this week officially unveiled its SME Advisory Committee – an industry-led intellectual property advisory body dedicated to small and medium-size businesses. At the committee’s inaugural meeting last Thursday, held via video conference, SMEs from the U.S. and Europe came together to discuss organizational structure, upcoming initiatives and ways to collaborate within AACA to tackle industry-specific issues. Click here to read more.
Dunhill Opens Flagship Store on Tmall Luxury Pavilion
British luxury goods brand Dunhill on Wednesday launched its flagship store on Tmall Luxury Pavilion. The online store features Dunhill’s ready-to-wear fashion pieces, leather goods and footwear, and is part of the Richemont-owned brand’s ongoing efforts to expand its digital presence in China. “Since the launch of our first store in Shanghai in the early ’90s, China has remained integral to Dunhill’s global strategy and success,” said Andrew Maag, the brand’s CEO. “This partnership with Tmall will allow us to reach even more customers, in an innovative and engaging way. It is a very exciting time for Dunhill as we continue to develop our brand projection and customer experience across every touchpoint.”
Taobao Live Hosts Virtual Tour of Switzerland
Taobao Live on Tuesday brought Chinese netizens on a two-hour virtual tour of Switzerland. Co-organized by Alibaba Group, the Swiss Tourism Board and Sino-Swiss Economic and Culture Center, the live broadcast featured scenic highlights, such as the Alps, as well as renowned brands from the Central European nation, including watchmaker Tissot and Carma Chocolate. The broadcast, which drew more than 1.25 million viewers, is the latest example of Alibaba using its livestreaming technology to promote tourism amid Covid-related travel restrictions. The company has previously hosted livestreamed broadcasts of popular tourist destinations, such as the British Museum in London and the Palace of Versailles in France.
AliExpress Celebrates 10th Anniversary with New Retail Pop-up
Alibaba’s global consumer marketplace AliExpress kicked off celebrations for its 10th anniversary last week with a New Retail pop-up experience that was unveiled in Paris. The pop-up displayed fashion items, home-technology appliances, décor and other bestselling products from the platform’s merchants, and existed both offline and online, so consumers could either peruse items in person or through an equally immersive mobile experience from the comfort of their own homes. Aside from having a special section dedicated to livestreaming, the anniversary store also showcased AliExpress’ other digital innovations, including its visual-search and “see now, buy now” technologies.
Alibaba, Emlyon Business School Pen Agreement for Joint Master’s Program
Alibaba Business School’s Global Digital Talent Network and the Emlyon Business School signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a joint master’s program in digital technology entrepreneurship and innovation. Founded in 1872, the Lyon-based institution is one of the top business schools in the world, and its international Master of Science program with the Alibaba GDT Network will focus on digital innovation and entrepreneurship, with a curriculum aimed at equipping Chinese and international students for careers in e-commerce strategy, digitization consulting and related fields. The program is set to last 18-24 months and encourages students to develop a cross-cultural understanding of the digital landscape by spending time in both France and China, including in Hangzhou, where Alibaba’s headquarters is located. This MOU with Emlyon Business School marks the GDT’s first joint master’s program with an overseas higher-education institution.
