The Inspirational Success Story Of Li Ka-shing.
Mr. Li Ka-shing’s story to success began from humle backround and is widely considered as one of Asia’s most influential business magnate, investor, a self-made billionaire, who is behind Hong Kong’s successful family business – CK Hutchison Holdings Limited. Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing has a rich history of philanthropy, donating billions of dollars to charities and also pledged support for rescue efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Sichuan’s devastating 2008 earthquake.
Early Beginnings & Family
Mr. Li was born in 1928 in Chiu Chow, a coastal city in the southeastern part of China. At the age of 12 Mr. Li was forced to quit school and fled to Hong Kong with his family to avoid Japanese invasion in 1940. Not long after, his father suffered from tuberculosis and passed away in Hong Kong. Mr. Li took the responsibility of supporting his family and found a job in a plastics trading company, where he worked tirelessly for 16 hours a day.
Through the hard work and dedication, Mr. Li was able to establish his own business, Cheung Kong Industries, with $6,500 in savings and loans from relatives. The business was focused on plastic manufacturing and in time it was successfully transformed into a prominent real estate investment firm, that was listed in Hong Kong in 1972. The company was named after the Yangtze River that flows through China, a great river that aggregates countless streams and tributaries, reflecting Mr. Li’s belief in synergy ~ the power of combined efforts. Cheung Kong Industries kept growing by purchasing Hutchison Whampoa and Hongkong Electric Holdings Limited.
Mr Li married Chong Yuet-ming in 1962, and the couple remained together until Chong Yuet-ming’s passing in 1990. Mr Li has two sons. Victor, the elder son, currently serves as Chairman and Managing Director of CK Asset Holdings Limited, Chairman and Group Co-Managing Director of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, and Chairman of CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited and CK Life Sciences Int’l., (Holdings ) Inc. Mr Li’s younger son, Richard, is Chairman of PCCW, one of Asia’s leading information technology and telecommunications companies.
How did Li Ka-shing make his money?
Mr. Li Ka-shing has earned the nickname “Superman” due to his sharp business skills and became so influential in Hong Kong that residents joked he could prevent typhoons from hitting on working days.
Under the leadership of CK Hutchison Holdings, Mr. Li oversees businesses in areas real estate, telecommunications, retail, hospitality, biotechnology and media. Besides managing the conglomerate, Mr. Li has co-founded private equity firm Horizon Ventures, which invests in science and technology and made a major investments in Facebook, Siri and Spotify. Though now retired, Mr. Li remains as a senior advisor and his son Victor heads the conglomerate.
The Li Ka Shing Foundation
The Li Ka Shing Foundation was established in 1980 with a focus on education, medical services and research initiatives. Mr. Li described his philanthropic efforts in a significant speech called “My Third Son,” and allocated one-third of his assets to the Foundation in 2006, which has become the largest charitable foundation in Hong Kong.
The Foundation donated more than HK$70 Million to support hospitals and NGOs to fight against Covid19. To this day, Mr. Li Ka-shing has invested over HK$30 Billion in projects including education, healthcare, charitable efforts, and anti-poverty programs and views philanthropy more than just financial contributions. Mr Li retired as Chairman of the Cheung Kong Group in 2018 to focus on the work of the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
What is Li Ka-shing’s net worth?
With an estimated wealth of $37.4B, Mr. Li holds the top spot in Forbes’ list of Hong Kong’s 50 Richest in 2024 and Top 10 Richest People in Asia.
Recognition and Awards
Hong Kong self-made billionaire Li Ka-shing is most proud of his charitable foundation and has been awarded frequently for his charitable donations.
- 1989 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- 1999 – Entrepreneur of the Millennium (The Times and Ernst & Young UK)
- 2000 – Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)
- 2001 – Grand Bauhinia Medal of the Hong Kong SAR
- 2005 – Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur (France)
- 2010 – The Robert H. Alway Lifetime Achievement Award (Stanford University)
- 2011 – Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy (The Carnegie Corporation)
“It doesn’t matter how strong or capable you are. If you don’t have a big heart, you won’t succeed.”
~ Li Ka-shing
