David Tang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Tang
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Sir David Tang Portrait
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| Born | 2 August 1954 |
| Died | 29 August 2017 (aged 63) The Royal Marsden Hospital, Chelsea, London, England
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| Occupation | Businessman |
Sir David Wing-cheung Tang (born August 2, 1954 – died August 29, 2017) was a well-known businessman from Hong Kong. He was also a kind person who helped others and was active in society. He is most famous for starting the fashion brand Shanghai Tang in 1994. He later sold this company in 1998.
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Growing Up and School
David Tang was born into a well-known and wealthy family in Hong Kong. His grandfather, Sir Shiu-Kin Tang, helped start the Kowloon Motor Bus Company. He was known as one of Hong Kong's greatest philanthropists, meaning he gave a lot of money to help people.
When David was 12, he moved to England with his parents. He went to a boarding school called The Perse School in Cambridge. He later said that when he arrived at age 13, he could barely speak English. After leaving school in 1973, he went to King's College London to study Philosophy and then Law.
What He Did for Work
David Tang started his career working at his grandfather's law firm. He then joined a law firm in London for a short time. However, he soon changed his career path and joined a company called Swire Pacific Limited.
He was very good at starting new businesses. He founded several famous places, including:
- The China Club in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Singapore.
- The Shanghai Tang fashion stores.
- Havana House and Pacific Cigar Company Ltd, which sells Cuban cigars in Asia.
- More recently, he opened the Cipriani restaurant in Hong Kong.
- He also opened the China Tang restaurant at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
David Tang also worked as a director and advisor for many companies, including Tommy Hilfiger. From 1983 to 1984, he taught English literature and philosophy at Peking University in Beijing, China.
Awards and Honors
David Tang received many important awards for his work and contributions.
- In 2008, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by the British government. This means he was given the title "Sir."
- In 1995, the French government honored him as a "Chevalier" (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This award recognizes people who have done great things in art and literature.
- In 2014, he won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Art and Design at the Asian Awards.
Other Things He Did
Sir David was also the Honorary Consul of Cuba in Hong Kong. This means he was like a special representative for Cuba in Hong Kong.
He often wrote articles for newspapers. He had a weekly column in the Chinese newspaper Apple Daily in Hong Kong. Some of his articles were put together in a book called An Apple a Week. He also wrote an "agony uncle" column for the Financial Times newspaper, where he gave advice to readers about their social problems.
In 2011, David Tang started a website called ICorrect.com. This website allowed famous people to correct wrong information about themselves that was spreading online.
His Views on Hong Kong
David Tang cared a lot about his home, Hong Kong. He sometimes spoke up about how the government was run, especially when he felt they were not listening to calls for more democracy.
Later Years
In August 2017, news reports said that David Tang was planning a farewell party in London. Doctors had told him he only had a short time left to live. Sadly, he died on August 29, 2017, from liver cancer. This was just a few weeks after his 63rd birthday. He was survived by his wife, Lucy, and his two children from his first marriage.
Books He Wrote
- Rules for Modern Life: A Connoisseur's Survival Guide (2016)
- A Chink in the Armour (2010)
- An Apple a Week (2007)
- East Meets West: Global Design for Contemporary Interiors (1998) - He wrote the foreword for this book.
- Quotations from Chairman Uncle Dave (privately printed)
