Rank 40
Li Ka-shing
35B
Diversified
Hong Kong
- Li says it took him five minutes in December 2007 to decide to invest in Facebook, even though it barely had any revenues. He also invested in Siri and Spotify.
- At age 12, Li fled China with his family. Two years later his father, who had been a primary school principal in China but then worked at a watch factory, died.
- Nicknamed Superman, Li Ka-shing is revered as one of the most influential businessmen in Asia.
- Li retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings in May 2018 but remains senior advisor.
- At the announcement of his retirement, Li joked that he'd been "working for a long time, too long."
- His son Victor now heads the conglomerate, which has more than 300,000 employees and operates in more than 50 nations.
- Li started Cheung Kong plastics, named after the Yangtze River, in 1950 at age 21 with $6,500 in savings and loans from relatives.
- His Li Ka Shing Foundation has donated more than $3.8 billion; over 80% has gone to Greater China.