The online Chinese retail giant has appointed Citigroup, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley to work on the deal, as was first reported on Saturday by Bloomberg.

The deal is being led by China International Capital Corporation (CICC) and Credit Suisse, with the company due to face a Hong Kong Stock Exchange listing committee hearing this coming Thursday, Nov. 14.

Alibaba, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley representatives declined to comment on the appointments. A Citigroup spokesman also declined to comment.

Reuters revealed on Friday that the Alibaba listing process will begin the week of Nov. 25.

(Reporting by Scott Murdoch; Editing by Tom Hogue and Christian Schmollinger)

By Scott Murdoch