Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing may no longer be the richest man in Asia, but with a current estimated net worth of $20.1 billion, his wealth is still nothing to sneeze at.
Li Ka-shing has an incredible rags-to-riches story. He was forced to drop out of school as a child to support his family. But today he is one of the world's richest men. He opened his first factory at the age of 22 and within a few years saw great success as a manufacturer, property developer, business magnate, and investor.
He's now become a major investor in disruptive technology. He was one of the first big investors in Facebook, and his most recent big acquisition was British telecom company O2, which he purchased at the end of March for $15 billion.
Li Ka-shing was saddled with financial responsibility from a young age. After his family fled to Hong Kong from southern China during WWII, his father died of tuberculosis. He had to leave school before the age of 16 to work in a factory.
Source: Business Insider
For almost four years during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, he sent 90% of his pay to his mother. Perhaps his early success as a breadwinner taught him the generous values that have made him famous for his philanthropy today.
Source: Forbes
Li was clearly influenced by his experience of working as a child. “It doesn’t matter how strong or capable you are; if you don’t have a big heart, you will not succeed,” he said.
Source: Forbes
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