Ma Huateng, better known as Pony Ma, the founder and CEO of Tencent, is a towering figure in the global technology landscape. Known for his low-profile demeanor, his strategic vision has propelled Tencent from a small instant messaging service to a multinational conglomerate with vast influence in social media, gaming, and fintech.

On Product Philosophy and User Experience

Pony Ma's obsession with user experience is legendary and forms the bedrock of Tencent's success.

  1. "A service starts with the satisfaction and needs of its users in mind and is defined by those two things." [1]
  2. "Wealth won't give you satisfaction; creating a good product that's well received by users is what matters most."
  3. "The most important quality of a product manager is the ability to play a fool, identify problems, and then wonder, 'why so?'" [2]
  4. "A good product has a soul, which should be reflected in beautiful design, cutting-edge technology, and even day-to-day operations." [2]
  5. "A good product is also one that attracts users organically." [2]
  6. To create a great product, a product manager should imagine himself as a fussy, and even a "stupid" user who is unable to understand complicated features. [2]
  7. "We should perfect anything that is slightly troubling in the sense of touch and feel. This includes reducing mouse movement, making clicking faster, etc." [2]
  8. Ma's famous 10/100/1,000 rule for product managers: each month, they must conduct 10 end-user surveys, read 100 user blogs, and collect feedback from 1,000 users. [1]
  9. "Spending core resources and time repeatedly on the optimisation of the obvious characteristics is basically the mania of novice internet entrepreneurs." [1]
  10. "Users want clear, simple, natural, easy-to-use design and products." [1]

On Innovation and Strategy

Ma's approach to innovation is both pragmatic and forward-looking, blending imitation with groundbreaking ideas.

  1. "Innovation is the result, not the cause." [1] He believes innovation emerges from adhering to other core principles like agility and user focus. [1]
  2. "But copying others can't make you great. So the key is how to localize a great idea and create domestic innovation."
  3. "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." [3] Ma said this in a 2009 interview, acknowledging the influence of ICQ on Tencent's first product, OICQ. [3]
  4. "The key to weather the difficulties is to innovate relentlessly." [4]
  5. Tencent’s "ABC" expansion strategy focuses on AI, Big Data, and Cloud computing. [1]
  6. On the development of WeChat, which competed with Tencent's own QQ, Ma embraced internal competition, a strategy echoing Steve Jobs' sentiment: "If you don't cannibalize yourself, someone else will." [1]
  7. "In the past, we did everything by ourselves, worrying others would make a hash of things, but now we trust our partners and we rely on them." [3] This reflects Tencent's "Half Strategy" of focusing on core competencies and partnering with other companies. [3]
  8. "Most of the Top 10 companies in the past were financial or energy companies, but the last several years have seen huge changes, namely that technology companies are taking those place." [3]
  9. "Even an investment bank is working hard on developing technology; there is no reason for Tencent not to take action." [3]
  10. "In the future, we need to broaden our view with a global perspective to find systematic solutions." [5]

On Leadership and Corporate Culture

Pony Ma has cultivated a unique corporate culture at Tencent that prioritizes agility and empowers employees.

  1. "I think first and foremost is to have a good team. In the very beginning, you may be able to write a good program by yourself. But soon enough, it will be developed into a team." [6]
  2. "That's why we allow those who understand the needs of younger users to do the job." [1]
  3. Ma established seven guiding principles for product creation: agility, openness, user-first, speed, resilience, evolution, and innovation. [1][7]
  4. Agility: Keeping bureaucracy at bay and empowering younger employees to lead change. [7]
  5. Openness: Giving employees the freedom to invent, solve problems, and even compete internally. [7]
  6. Speed: Maintaining a rapid pace of product releases and iterations. [7]
  7. Resilience: Expecting and encouraging employees to bounce back from failures. [7]
  8. Evolution: Fostering the capability to continuously improve, self-correct, and stay focused. [7]
  9. He fosters a culture of "continuous improvement" where employees are encouraged to develop products that meet users' needs while staying ahead of industry trends. [8]
  10. "The leader of the market today may not necessarily be the leader tomorrow."

On Competition

Ma's perspective on competition is a blend of intense rivalry and strategic collaboration.

  1. On competing with Alibaba's Jack Ma: "Jack Ma and I have known each other for many years, since the time when we were still underdogs. Now our competition is omnipresent in the Internet industry." [9]
  2. "Reasonable competition can bring mutual development." [9]
  3. On the intensity of competition: "It can go to an extent that I am surprised to see 'What? We're even competing in this?' Well OK, but sometimes it can be a bit annoying." [9]
  4. "Gaming is our flagship business…But in the past year, we have faced significant challenges. We have found ourselves at a loss, as our competitors continue to produce new products, leaving us feeling having achieved nothing." [10]
  5. He has asked Tencent's fintech unit to reduce its market share in payments to avoid direct rivalry with banks, positioning Tencent as a "partner of banks." [11]

On Entrepreneurship and Growth

From a small startup to a global powerhouse, Pony Ma's journey offers invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs.

  1. "I didn't have grand ambitions to build a great enterprise. I wanted, simply, to create 'excellent products' and have the co-founders see a return on their investment." [1]
  2. On the challenges for startups: "How to stand out among those similar startups in the competition is the most difficult." [6]
  3. He believes a strong executive capacity, understanding user needs, and the ability to adjust based on market feedback are crucial for startups. [6]
  4. "We knew our product had a future, but at that time we just couldn't afford it." [3] This was in the early days of OICQ when the company struggled financially. [3]
  5. He attributes Tencent's success to "fate" and the "era" of China's rapid development. [4]

On Social Responsibility and the Future

Ma increasingly emphasizes the role of technology in creating social value.

  1. "Technology is a capability. To be good is a choice." [12]
  2. "Over the past 23 years, Tencent has managed to come this far because society and our country have provided support that allowed Tencent to continuously grow." [12]
  3. "Education and health care are not only commercial services, but also public and universal ones. So on top of commerce, what can we do to play our role?"
  4. He believes human creativity and ethics must guide the tech revolution, particularly in the age of AI. [13]
  5. Tencent has pledged significant funds to address societal problems and improve China's rural economy. [12]
  6. "Caring for people is key to the continued growth of Tencent, and I firmly believe that it is the basis for the development of modern enterprises." [14]
  7. "The investment in sustainable social value is as important as that in research and development of technologies." [14]
  8. Looking ahead, Ma is focused on expanding Tencent's reach in emerging markets and investing in cutting-edge technologies. [15]
  9. On the future of communication devices: "I hope the next generation of telecommunication devices can be more sight-friendly, or even better, directly transmit the information to my brain." [9]
  10. In a leaked speech, he warned employees that Tencent is an "ordinary company" that could be replaced, emphasizing the need to serve society and not cross any lines. [16][17]

Learn more:

  1. 7 lessons from Tencent's Pony Ma | Leader.co.za
  2. Tencent founder and CEO Pony Ma: 7 Flaws That A Perfect Product Manager Would Avoid (Part 3) - Kr Asia
  3. Pony Ma Speech 2017: Tencent is Approaching the Technology of the Future
  4. Tencent's co-founder Pony Ma tells Chinese state media that fate played a role in the company's success
  5. Pony Ma: Consumer, Business and Society - The CBS Trinity - Tencent 腾讯
  6. Interview With Pony Ma of Tencent: Startup, Geek and Entrepreneurship - TechNode
  7. Seven lessons from Tencent's Pony Ma - Enrique De Diego
  8. Ma Huateng Leadership Style Unveiled: Insights into Tencent's Success - Hidayat Rizvi
  9. Pony Ma: 'Too Much Competition With Jack is Annoying' - Pandaily
  10. Tencent grapples with gaming competition, gains ground in AI development
  11. Tencent CEO Pony Ma asks fintech unit to cede share in payments market to avoid challenging banks | South China Morning Post
  12. Tencent founder Pony Ma emphasises company's investment in social value amid increasing antitrust and gaming scrutiny - SCMP
  13. The Man Behind WeChat: How Ma Huateng (Pony Ma) Built a $56 Billion Empire?
  14. Tencent CEO Pony Ma acknowledges challenges in video games business, highlights AI development - Dimsum Daily
  15. Uncovering Pony Ma's Secrets to Success - AdvisoryCloud
  16. Tencent founder Pony Ma warns company is replaceable in leaked speech signalling a low-key future
  17. Pony Ma tells employees Tencent is ordinary and replaceable in company meeting