China Herald: The pricing at Alibaba's IPO

Alibaba's IPO is going to be one of the biggest events of 2014, a listing that will dwarf Twitter's value. The value of Alibaba's shares is a key issue, and angel-investor Benjamin Joffe has a theory on how it will perform, he tells CNBC.

CNBC:

Sometime after Twitter's moment in the Wall Street spotlight,it's expected billionaire Jack Ma will step to the podium in New York to ring the bell heralding his Alibaba Group Holding's listing in New York, the biggest U.S. IPO for a Chinese technology company, and one that dwarfs Twitter in size, revenue—and significance. "Alibaba is a one-time thing," said Benjamin Joffe, an angel investor and founder of Asia-focused consultancy Plus8Star in Beijing. "How often do you list a $100 billion company?"...

Ultimately, the success of Alibaba's IPO will depend on how the stock is priced, says Joffe. He says IPOs are often judged by the public and the media on whether the price goes up after the IPO. "If the underwriters decide not to optimize the valuation, they can create a 'successful' story," he said. "But the founders leave money on the table." At the scale of this IPO, investors may conclude they can afford it.

More in CNBC.

Benjamin Joffe is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at our meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.

China Weekly Hangout

+Harm Kiezebrink

China is preparing for a new bout of bird flu. In Zhejiang the first victim was infected with the H7N9 virus, and chicken farms are preparing for the upcoming new year, meaning more risks. The +China Weekly Hangout is on Thursday 24 October discussing with bird flu expert Harm Kiezebink how you can prepare you and your company when the bird flu pandemic hits China. You can register here to participate, or read the full announcement here.

China's internet companies are going global, and were at the agenda of the +China Weekly Hangout on September 5. Should Facebook, Twitter and Google+ worry now Tencent, Baidu, Sina, Alibaba and Xiaomi have plans to expand globally? Not yet, said investor +William Yung, media-expert +Paul Fox and +Tech in Asia editor +Steven Millward. Well, maybe Whatsapp should. Moderation by +Fons Tuinstra of the China Speakers Bureau.