Alibaba vs Post Holdings: Founders, CEOs and History
Alibaba was founded in 1999 by Jack Ma (Ma Yun), Joe Tsai (Tsai Chung-hsin) and is led by Eddie Wu. Post Holdings was founded in 2012 by William P. Stiritz and is led by Nicolas Catoggio.
Company facts
Alibaba
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Hangzhou, China
- Current CEO
- Eddie Wu
- Employees
- 131,462
Post Holdings
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Current CEO
- Nicolas Catoggio
- Employees
- 13,180
Founders
Alibaba
Jack Ma (Ma Yun)
Jack Ma (born Ma Yun on September 10, 1964) founded Alibaba in 1999, embarking on a journey that would reshape the modern Chinese economy.
Joe Tsai (Tsai Chung-hsin)
Joe Tsai served as Alibaba's Executive Vice Chairman from 2013 until 2023 and became Non-Executive Chairman following the retirement of Jack Ma. In September 2023 he was elevated to Chairman of the Board.
Post Holdings
William P. Stiritz
William P. Stiritz is the founding Chairman and CEO of the modern Post Holdings. When Ralcorp spun off its Post cereal business in February 2012, Stiritz took charge of the new company and began the acquisition strategy that later added Michael Foods and MOM B…
CEOs and their tenures
Alibaba
- Daniel Zhang (Zhang Yong)2015–2023
Former CEO and Chairman, Alibaba Group
Daniel Zhang served as Alibaba's CEO from 2015 to 2023, overseeing the company's growth from a primarily domestic e-commerce platform into a diversified technology conglomerate with global ambitions.
Source - Eddie Wu (Wu Yongming)2023–present
Chief Executive Officer, Alibaba Group
Eddie Wu was appointed CEO of Alibaba Group in September 2023, succeeding Daniel Zhang who had led the company since 2015.
Source
Post Holdings
- William P. Stiritz2012–2014
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
As the legendary Chairman and former CEO, the highly revered financial architect completely defined the company's complex, private-equity-style corporate structure.
Source - Robert V. Vitale2014–present
Executive Chairman (CEO 2014-2026)
Previously Post's CFO; from October 1, 2026 advises on capital allocation as Executive Chairman.
Source - Matthew J. Mainer2022–present
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
As CFO, he steers the company's aggressive, highly acquisitive capital allocation strategy, acting as the primary architect behind its massive M&A playbook.
Source - Nicolas Catoggio2026–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Former Boston Consulting Group Managing Director and Senior Partner who advised Post on M&A diligence and integrations before joining.
Source
Timeline: Alibaba and Post Holdings side by side
1999Alibaba
Alibaba.com Launched
Jack Ma and 17 co-founders launch Alibaba.com from a Hangzhou apartment with $60,000 in pooled savings, creating a B2B online marketplace connecting Chinese manufacturers with international buyers.
1999Alibaba
First Major Investment from SoftBank
Masayoshi Son invests $20 million in Alibaba in a meeting reportedly lasting five minutes, alongside $5 million from Goldman Sachs, providing survival capital through the imminent dot-com crash.
2001Alibaba
Gold Supplier Program Launch
Alibaba launches the Gold Supplier verified membership program at $3,000 per year, generating approximately $10 million in first-year revenue and proving the B2B marketplace model's commercial viability.
2003Alibaba
Taobao Launches to Challenge eBay
Alibaba secretly develops and launches Taobao, a consumer-to-consumer marketplace offered free to both buyers and sellers, directly targeting eBay's Chinese market position. Within three years, Taobao surpasses eBay's Chinese market share.
2004Alibaba
Alipay Escrow Service Created
Alibaba creates Alipay as a payment escrow solution for Taobao transactions, holding buyer funds until delivery confirmation before releasing payment to sellers solving the trust barrier that was limiting online commerce adoption.
2008Alibaba
Tmall (Taobao Mall) Launch
Alibaba launches a premium B2C marketplace initially called Taobao Mall (later rebranded Tmall), allowing established brands to operate official storefronts with higher trust credentials and enabling Alibaba to serve the premium consumer segment.
2009Alibaba
Alibaba Cloud Founded
Alibaba launches Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) as a cloud computing business, a decade ahead of many enterprise adoption cycles, positioning it to become Asia Pacific's dominant cloud provider.
2011Alibaba
First Singles' Day Shopping Festival
Alibaba transforms the informal 'Singles' Day' celebration on November 11 into a promotional shopping event on Taobao and Tmall, generating ~$130 million (936 million yuan) in sales a figure that would grow more than 100-fold in subsequent years.
2012Post Holdings
Post Holdings Spin-Off
Post completed its separation from Ralcorp and began trading on the NYSE.
2014Alibaba
Record-Breaking NYSE IPO
Alibaba completes its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange on September 19, 2014, raising $25 billion the largest IPO in US stock market history at that time at a valuation of approximately $168 billion.
2014Post Holdings
Michael Foods Acquisition
Post expanded into egg products and foodservice through Michael Foods.
2015Post Holdings
MOM Brands Acquisition
Post broadened its cereal portfolio with MOM Brands.
2017Post Holdings
Weetabix Acquisition
Post added the U.K. Weetabix cereal business.
2018Post Holdings
Bob Evans Acquisition
Post expanded refrigerated retail and foodservice exposure.
2019Alibaba
Dual Listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Alibaba completes a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising an additional $13 billion and broadening its investor base among Asian institutional and retail investors, reducing dependence on US capital markets.
2021Alibaba
Record Antitrust Fine
Chinese regulators impose a 18.23 billion yuan ($2.8 billion USD) antitrust fine on Alibaba following a months-long investigation into its 'choose one from two' exclusivity practices at the time, the largest antitrust fine in Chinese regulatory history.
2023Alibaba
Six-Business-Unit Restructuring Announced
Alibaba announces its most significant organizational restructuring, dividing the company into six independent business units each with its own CEO and board: Taobao Tmall Group, Cloud Intelligence Group, Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, Cainiao S…
2025Post Holdings
8th Avenue Acquired
Post acquired the remaining interest in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions.
2026Post Holdings
CEO Transition
Nicolas Catoggio became President and CEO on October 1, 2026.
Acquisitions
Alibaba
- Sun Art Retail Group (Auchan Retail China)2020$3.6B
- Ele.me2018$9.5B
- Trendyol (stake investment)2018$750M
- Lazada2016$1B
- Youku Tudou2016$3.7B
Post Holdings
- 8th Avenue Food & Provisions2025Undisclosed
- Pet Food Portfolio (J.M. Smucker)2023$1.2B
- Bob Evans Farms2018$1.5B
- Weetabix2017Undisclosed
- MOM Brands (Malt-O-Meal)2015$1.1B
- Michael Foods2014$2.5B
Questions about Alibaba vs Post Holdings
Who is the CEO of Alibaba Group Holding Limited and Post Holdings, Inc.?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited is led by Eddie Wu and Post Holdings, Inc. is led by Nicolas Catoggio. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Alibaba Group Holding Limited founded vs Post Holdings, Inc.?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited was founded in 1999 — 13 years before Post Holdings, Inc., which was founded in 2012. Alibaba Group Holding Limited's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Post Holdings, Inc..
How many employees does Alibaba Group Holding Limited have compared to Post Holdings, Inc.?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited employs approximately 131,462 people, while Post Holdings, Inc. employs approximately 13,180. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has the larger workforce at 131,462 employees, compared to Post Holdings, Inc.'s 13,180. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Alibaba Group Holding Limited and Post Holdings, Inc. headquartered?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited is headquartered in China and Post Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Alibaba Group Holding Limited and Post Holdings, Inc.?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited was founded by Jack Ma (Ma Yun), Joe Tsai (Tsai Chung-hsin). Post Holdings, Inc. was founded by William P. Stiritz.
Which company has a longer operating history — Alibaba Group Holding Limited or Post Holdings, Inc.?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited has been operating for approximately 27 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Post Holdings, Inc. has been in operation for around 14 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Alibaba vs Post Holdings overview