Hong Kong-trade shares in CATL, the world’s largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles, have jumped after the company raised around $4.6 billion in the biggest initial public offering globally this year.

Robin Zeng’s high-stakes bets—from quitting his first job to founding CATL—have reshaped the global EV battery market.

Zeng Yuqun, Chairman of Chinese battery giant CATL, right, bangs a gong to start CATL's debut trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange on May 20. Shares in Chinese battery giant CATL soared almost 17 percent on its first day of trading Tuesday.