Facebook’s chief executive – Mark Zuckerberg turns 28 on Monday, setting in motion the social network’s biggest week ever. The company is expected to start selling stock to the public for the first time and begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on Friday. The IPO could value Facebook at nearly $100 billion, making it worth more than such iconic companies as Disney, Ford and Kraft Foods.
At 28, Zuckerberg is exactly half the age of the average S&P 500 CEO, according to executive search firm Spencer Stuart. With eight years on the job, he has established world- class brand and an empire, which is going to be worth $ 100 billion.
Young as he may seem —especially in his casual dresses – but he is serious at his work. Facebook, of course, got its start in Zuckerberg’s messy Harvard dorm room in early 2004. All along, Zuckerberg has shown a maturity beyond his years. As the site grew rapidly and caught the eye of big media and rival Internet companies, Zuckerberg consistently rebuffed mouth-watering buyout offers, including from Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. He had a vision and knew the potential of his work and no body had imagined that his site will be worth $ 100 billion one day.
People who’ve observed Zuckerberg closely say his age is an asset. His is the generation that grew up with social networking, with computers all around them and the Internet as something that’s always existed. Many of his employees are younger than him, as are a lot of the up-and-coming technology entrepreneurs with whom he competes.
Some analysts have criticised him for wearing his signature hoodie while doing pre-IPO roadshows in US. But people are not investing in his company for what he wears but what he has created and what he can do in future using his vision and imagination. Will anybody invest in a company if its CEO wears Armani designer suits but lacks imagination and creativity. Obviously, NO.
One should not talk about what he wears and looks, but what he creates and his way of working and his enterprising team of young professionals. Those who are critical of his dress are not doing justice to his work and his potential. One thing is certain, whosoever invests in his company, will reap rich dividends in due course of time and his IPO is going to be smash hit and will create history of its sort. Do invest in his IPO if you can and you will never regret your decision.
Happy birthday MZ and all the best for your IPO!
