Kazuo Hirai
Former President & CEO of Sony Corporation | Architect of the 'One Sony' Turnaround | Former Head of Sony's PlayStation Business | Leadership, Change & Transformation
Porter Erisman
Former VP, Alibaba Group | Author of Alibaba's World & Six Billion Shoppers | Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker | E-Commerce & Emerging Markets Expert
Porter Erisman helped build Alibaba from the inside, spending eight years as a Vice President while the startup grew into a global commerce power. Few speakers can explain platform-era competition with that kind of firsthand authority. The author of Alibaba's World and Six Billion Shoppers, he gives senior audiences a clear read on where e-commerce growth is shifting, with practical lessons on resilience, culture, and winning in emerging markets.
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Porter Erisman biography
E-commerce speaker Porter Erisman offers something few keynote speakers can: a first-person account of how Alibaba grew from a startup run out of Jack Ma’s apartment into one of the most powerful commerce platforms on earth. As one of the company’s first American employees and later a Vice President, he spent eight years inside Alibaba, leading international website operations, international marketing, and corporate affairs at different stages of its growth. That vantage point gives him a rare understanding of how technology, entrepreneurship, and bold leadership can remake entire economies.
His path to China began with a year of Mandarin study and a stint hosting China Through Foreigners’ Eyes on China Central Television. After earning his MBA, he returned to Beijing with Ogilvy & Mather, where he oversaw internet marketing just as the country’s online economy was taking shape. He joined Alibaba in 2000 and helped guide the company through the dot-com crash, the SARS epidemic, and its decisive competitive battle with eBay in China, experiences that shaped his views on resilience, culture, and strategy under pressure.
Author, Filmmaker, and Emerging Markets Advisor
Erisman later turned that experience into work that has informed how business leaders understand digital commerce. His book Alibaba’s World tells the inside story of Jack Ma’s improbable rise and the company culture behind it. Six Billion Shoppers follows the next wave of online commerce across India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, profiling the local companies outmaneuvering global giants. He also wrote, directed, and produced Crocodile in the Yangtze, a documentary on Alibaba’s early years that won Best Documentary at the San Francisco United Film Festival. Since leaving Alibaba, he has advised e-commerce companies across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and his commentary has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg, and the BBC. More on his books is available on his Macmillan author page.
As a speaker, Porter Erisman pairs vivid stories from Alibaba’s rise with practical guidance on e-commerce strategy, digital transformation, and growth in emerging markets. He speaks to executive teams weighing global expansion, innovation leaders studying platform business models, and founders building where the rules are still being written. Audiences come away with a sharper view of where the next billion online consumers are coming from and what it takes to reach them first.
Porter Erisman Speaking Videos
Porter Erisman – A Crocodile In The Yangtze: The Alibaba Story
Porter Erisman speaking at Presidents Summit
Porter Erisman Keynote Topics
Porter Erisman witnessed Alibaba's rise from a team with little funding and no proven model to one of the most influential commerce platforms in the world. This keynote takes audiences behind the scenes of the strategic bets, near-failures, and cultural choices that defined the company's early years, and of the leadership instincts Jack Ma relied on at each turning point. Erisman turns the story into usable lessons on entrepreneurship, resilience, and how smaller organizations can outcompete rivals with far deeper resources.
The first chapter of e-commerce was written largely in the United States, Europe, and China. The next is unfolding in markets many Western companies still underestimate. Drawing on Six Billion Shoppers and his advisory work across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Erisman explains why local players often beat global giants, which structural shifts are opening new opportunities, and what companies must change to compete on unfamiliar ground. A practical briefing for executives and founders looking beyond saturated markets.
When SARS struck in 2003, much of Alibaba's team was sent home under quarantine at a critical moment in the company's growth. Instead of retreating, the company kept operating from employees' homes and pressed ahead with the launch of Taobao, a bet that reshaped its future. Erisman recounts the episode from the inside and draws out the leadership principles behind it: a clear mission, trust in teams, and the nerve to act boldly when caution seems the safer choice. A strong session for any organization facing disruption.
When Porter Erisman first arrived in China, commerce was largely face to face and online shopping was a novelty. Within a generation, mobile payments through platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay became part of everyday life for hundreds of millions of people. In this forward-looking keynote, Erisman traces the shift he saw firsthand, explains the conditions that made it possible, and examines how similar models are spreading across emerging markets. A strategic session for leaders in financial services, retail, and technology.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Porter Erisman
Why Porter Erisman?
Porter Erisman brings an insider's account that analysts and commentators cannot match. As one of Alibaba's first American employees and a Vice President for eight years, he took part in the decisions, crises, and competitive battles that turned a small startup into a global commerce leader. He pairs that experience with two books on e-commerce, an award-winning documentary, and advisory work across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, delivered with the timing of a natural storyteller. For events focused on e-commerce, digital transformation, emerging markets, or leadership under uncertainty, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check Porter Erisman's availability.
What is Alibaba's World by Porter Erisman about?
Alibaba's World is Porter Erisman's insider account of his years at Alibaba, following the company from its beginnings in Jack Ma's apartment to its emergence as a global e-commerce leader. The book explains how a former English teacher with no technical background built a company that outlasted the dot-com crash, survived the SARS crisis, and beat eBay in China. It is widely read by those studying Chinese business, platform strategy, and entrepreneurial leadership.
What does Six Billion Shoppers say about the future of e-commerce?
Six Billion Shoppers argues that the most important growth in e-commerce is now happening in emerging markets such as India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Erisman profiles the local companies adapting online retail to conditions global platforms were not built for, from payments to logistics, and shows how a rising middle class and wider internet access are creating billions of new digital consumers. The book serves as a practical guide for companies weighing international expansion.
Which keynote topics does e-commerce speaker Porter Erisman cover?
Porter Erisman speaks on e-commerce strategy, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, emerging markets, fintech, and leadership through crisis. His keynotes include the inside story of Alibaba's rise, lessons from the SARS period, where the next wave of online consumers is coming from, and what China's shift to mobile payments means for global business. He tailors each talk to the audience's industry and strategic priorities. To bring Porter Erisman to your conference or corporate event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Porter Erisman as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Porter Erisman as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Porter Erisman's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Porter Erisman or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Porter Erisman speaking fee?
Porter Erisman speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Porter Erisman to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Porter Erisman.
How can I contact Porter Erisman?
We only work with Porter Erisman on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Porter Erisman and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Porter Erisman speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Porter Erisman for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Porter Erisman for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Porter Erisman is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Porter Erisman for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
