Zhong Shanshan

Zhong Shanshan (Chinese: 钟睒睒, born December 1954) is a Chinese billionaire businessman.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhong.
Zhong Shanshan
Born
钟睒睒

1954 (age 66–67)[1]
Zhuji, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
OccupationBusinessman
Known forFounder, Nongfu Spring
Owner, Wantai
Net worthUS$92.3 billion (19 January 2021)[2]

Biography

Zhong founded and chairs Nongfu Spring,[3] the largest beverage company in China. He is also the owner of the Chinese pharma giant 'Wantai'. He is the richest person in China and in December 2020, he became Asia's richest man, topping India's Mukesh Ambani.[4][5] In January 2021 he overtook Warren Buffett to become the world's 6th richest person.[6]

Early life

Zhong dropped out of school during the sixth grade, at age 12, during the chaos of the Chinese cultural revolution, as his parents were persecuted by authorities, along with many other civilians. He later worked in several jobs, including as a construction worker, news reporter and beverage salesman, before starting his own company. Zhong attended the Zhejiang Open University after failing twice in the entrance exam.

Career

In September 1996, he founded Nongfu Spring, a producer of bottled water, which grew steadily along the years to be China's top beverage company. The Hong Kong listed firm went public in September 2020, raising nearly $1.1 billion in its initial public offering. According to its offering prospectus, Zhong owns a massive 84.4% of the company with his wife’s relatives owning an additional 6.2% combined.[7]

He is also the chairman and owns a controlling stake of the pharma giant Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Co. Ltd., also known as Wantai. The company was listed in China in April.

Zhong is often referred to by Chinese media as a "lone wolf" for his rare public appearances and reluctance to be interviewed.[8]

References
  1. "Bricklayer To Billionaire: China's Second-Richest and Asia's 1st richest Man Rose From Rags To Extreme Riches—But Will It Last?". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. "Zhong Shanshan". Forbes. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  3. "Zhong Shanshan". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. Toh, Michelle. "China has a new richest man". CNN. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. "Zhong Shanshan overtakes Mukesh Ambani to become Asia's richest person". The Times of India. 31 December 2020. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  6. Bloomberg (6 January 2021). "Zhong Shanshan net worth: China's bottled water king is now richer than Warren Buffett | International Business News". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  7. Wang, Jennifer (5 January 2021). "China's Bottled Water Mogul Gains $5 Billion In One Day, Becomes World's Sixth Richest Person". Forbes. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  8. "Bottled water billionaire unseats Jack Ma as China's richest man". CTV News. 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
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