Li Ka-shing facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the founder of Cheung Kong Holdings. For the son of Lee Shau Kee, see Martin Lee Ka-shing.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Li.

Quick facts for kids

The Honourable Sir

Ka-shing Li

GBM KBE JP

李嘉誠

Li in 2010

Born

29 July 1928 (age 97)

Chao'an, Chaozhou, Guangdong, China

Citizenship

China
Canada

Occupation

Chairman of Li Ka Shing Foundation

Spouse(s)

Chong Yuet-ming

(m. 1962; died 1990)

Children

Victor Li Tzar-kuoi (son)
Richard Li Tzar-kai (son)

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

李嘉誠

Simplified Chinese

李嘉诚

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Lǐ Jiāchéng
Wu
Romanization	Li-ga-sen
Hakka
Romanization	Li³¹Ga⁴⁴Sing¹¹
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping	Lei⁵ Gaa¹-sing⁴
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ	Lí Ka-sêng
Teochew Peng'im	Li² Gia¹-sêng⁵

Sir Ka-shing Li (Chinese: 李嘉誠; born 29 July 1928) is a very successful businessman and investor from Hong Kong. He is also known for giving a lot of money to charity. He used to be the head of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings. He stepped down in May 2018 but still works as a senior advisor.

Through his companies, he invests in, builds, and runs many businesses. This includes one of the biggest health and beauty store chains in Asia and Europe. In July 2023, Li was the 33rd richest person in the world. His wealth was estimated to be about $37.7 billion. In March 2024, Forbes magazine ranked him as the 38th richest person.

Li invests in many different areas. These include transport, buildings, money services, shops, and energy. His main company, Cheung Kong Holdings, has invested in many parts of Hong Kong's economy. It once made up 4% of the total value of all companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Forbes Magazine gave Li Ka-shing the first-ever Malcolm S. Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Even though he is very rich, Li is known for living a simple life. He often wears plain black shoes and a simple Seiko watch. He has lived in the same house for many decades. This house is now in a very expensive area of Hong Kong called Deep Water Bay.

Li is also a very generous person. He has given billions of dollars to charities and good causes. His Li Ka Shing Foundation is the second largest private charity in the world. Only the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is larger. In 2019, Forbes listed Li as one of the most generous givers outside of the US.

Li's Early Life
Building a Business Empire
Li's Personal Life
Awards and Honours
Li's Views on Politics
Li's Charity Work
See also

Li's Early Life

Li was born in Chao'an, Chaozhou, in Guangdong Province, China, in 1928. His parents were Li Yun-ching and Cheung Bik-chin. In 1940, Li and his family moved to Hong Kong. They were refugees escaping the Second Sino-Japanese War.

When he was 15, his father died from an illness. This meant Li had to leave school to work. He found a job at a plastics company. He worked very long hours, sometimes 16 hours a day. In 1950, he started his own company called Cheung Kong Industries.

At first, his company made plastics. Later, Li turned it into a top real estate company in Hong Kong. It was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972. Cheung Kong grew even bigger by buying other large companies. These included Hutchison Whampoa in 1979 and Hongkong Electric Holdings in 1985.

Building a Business Empire

Making Plastic Flowers

In 1950, Li started his own plastic manufacturing company in Hong Kong. He used his own savings and money borrowed from family. He read a lot about business and decided to make high-quality plastic flowers that were also affordable.

Li learned how to mix colors with plastics to make the flowers look real. He got his factory ready for a big foreign buyer. Luckily, the buyer placed a huge order. Within a few years, Li became the biggest supplier of plastic flowers in Asia. He made a lot of money from this business.

Investing in Real Estate

In 1958, Li thought that rents would keep going up. So, he decided to buy land and build his own factory. A chance to buy more land came after the 1967 riots. Many people left Hong Kong, and property prices dropped a lot.

Li believed the problems would not last forever. He thought property prices would go up again. So, he bought land from people who were leaving at very low prices. In 1971, he officially named his real estate company Cheung Kong (長江實業). Cheung Kong Holdings became a public company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972.

Li often said he wanted his company to be bigger than Jardines-owned Hongkong Land. In 1977, Cheung Kong won a bid to develop land above the Central and Admiralty MTR stations. This was a big step in becoming a top property developer in Hong Kong.

Li also sold some very large buildings. He sold The Center, a tall skyscraper in Hong Kong, for about $5.15 billion. This was the biggest office building sale ever in Asia. He also sold the Century Link complex in Shanghai for $2.95 billion.

In 1979, Li bought a large part of Hutchison Whampoa from Hong Kong Bank.

Retail Businesses

AS Watson (ASW) is a company owned by CK Hutchison. It runs over 15,000 stores. These stores include popular brands in Europe like Superdrug (UK) and Kruidvat. In Asia, they have health and beauty stores like Watson's and PARKnSHOP supermarkets. ASW also sells water and drinks in the region.

Buying and Selling Companies

CK Hutchison often builds up new businesses and then sells them. They do this when they can make a good profit for their shareholders. For example, they sold their share in Orange in 1999 and made a profit of $15.12 billion. In 2006, Li sold 20% of Hutchison's ports business to another company, making $3.12 billion.

Another company, Hutchison Asia Telecom, sold most of its share in Hutchison Essar to Vodafone. This deal was worth $11.1 billion.

Investing in Technology

Li has also invested in technology. His company, Horizons Ventures, focuses on new internet and tech startups. They invested in companies like doubleTwist and the music streaming service Spotify. The Li Ka Shing Foundation also bought a small part of the social media website Facebook for $120 million.

In 2011, Horizons Ventures invested in Summly, an app that summarizes websites. This made Summly's founder, Nick D'Aloisio, the youngest person to get venture capital funding at just 15 years old. Horizons Ventures also invested in companies like Wibbitz, which turns text into video, and Ginger Software. In 2013, they invested in BitPay, a company that handles bitcoin payments.

Later, in 2015, Horizons Ventures invested in Zoom Video Communications and Impossible Foods. In 2016, they invested in Blockstream, a company working on blockchain technology. They also supported Expa, a fund that helps new companies get started.

In 2017, Li worked with Alibaba's Jack Ma to bring AlipayHK, a digital payment service, to Hong Kong.

Water Utilities

Through CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited, Li owns 75% of a British water company called Northumbrian Water. The company faced some challenges, including losses and fines for releasing untreated sewage.

Retirement and Future

After almost 70 years leading CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings, Li announced his retirement on 16 March 2018. He passed control of his large business empire to his son, Victor Li. Li still works as a senior advisor for the companies.

Other Investments

Besides his main companies, Li Ka-shing has also personally invested a lot in real estate in Singapore and Canada. He was once the biggest shareholder of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), a large bank in Canada. He sold his shares in 2005 and gave all the money to charity.

He also owns a large part of Husky Energy, an energy company in Canada. Husky was bought by Cenovus in 2021, and Li now owns 27.2% of the new company. Li was also a director and deputy chairman of Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation for many years.

Li's Personal Life

Li was married to his first cousin, Chong Yuet-ming, in 1962. She passed away unexpectedly on New Year's Day 1990. They had two sons, Victor and Richard. Both of his sons are Canadian citizens. Victor Li took over from his father as the head of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings. Richard Li is the head of PCCW, which is the biggest telecom company in Hong Kong. Li is a follower of Buddhism.

People often say Li is "plainly dressed" for someone so rich. In the 1990s, he wore a simple Citizen Watch and plain ties. Later, he wore a Seiko. In 2016, he was seen with a Citizen watch that cost about HK$500. More recently, he has been seen wearing an Apple Watch.

Awards and Honours

Li Ka-shing has received many important awards and honours:

Grand Bauhinia Medal
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Commandeur, Légion d'honneur
Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Hong Kong

Li's Views on Politics

For many years, Li was seen as being supportive of Beijing. However, in the 2010s, there were some disagreements between Li and mainland China. During the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, he did not directly criticize the protesters. Instead, he asked for peace and urged authorities to treat the protesters kindly.

Li's businesses operate all over the world, including in China. In early 2015, some Chinese newspapers criticized Li. This happened when his companies considered selling some properties in Shanghai and Beijing. It seemed Li wanted to invest more in stable markets in the West. These criticisms stopped after a few weeks when other official newspapers took a more neutral stance.

Li's Charity Work

Li Ka Shing Tower of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The Li Ka Shing Foundation was started in 1980. It focuses on education, medical care, and research. So far, Li Ka-shing has given over HK$30 billion to projects. About 80% of these projects are in mainland China and Hong Kong.
In 1981, Li's donation helped start Shantou University (STU) and the Shantou University Medical College. These are near his hometown of Chaozhou. Li has given over HK$12 billion to help STU grow. In 2013, he gave $130 million to create the Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
In September 2001, a new building at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University was named the Li Ka Shing Tower. This was after he donated HK$100 million to the university.
The Li Ka Shing Centre in Cambridge, England, is a Cancer Research UK facility. It is part of the University of Cambridge. It was named after Mr. Li after he donated £5.3 million. He opened it himself in May 2002.
In November 2002, the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in China was founded with a large donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
The Li Ka Shing Library at the Singapore Management University is also named after him. This was after a $11.5 million donation in 2002.
After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster, Li promised to donate $3 million.
In 2005, Li announced a HK$1 billion ($128 million) donation to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. It was renamed the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine in 2006.
Also in 2005, Li donated $40 million to the University of California, Berkeley. He was impressed with their work in biosciences. The university named its new biosciences building the Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences. It opened in October 2011.
In 2014, the Li Ka Shing Foundation gave $10 million to support UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. This was to start the Innovative Genomics Initiative (IGI).
Li has also supported Stanford University since the 1980s. He is the main donor to the $90 million Li Ka-shing Center for Learning and Knowledge. This center opened in 2010 and is now the main building for the Stanford University School of Medicine.
On 9 March 2007, Li Ka-shing gave SGD$100 million to the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. One of their buildings was named after him to thank him.
Li Ka-shing donated CA$25 million to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. This helped create the Li Ka-Shing Knowledge Institute, a medical research and education center.
Li Ka-shing donated CA$8 million to the University of Alberta to start the Li Ka-shing Institute of Virology.
Li Ka-shing donated HK$160 million ($20.6 million) to help after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
In 2013, Li Ka-shing donated CA$6.6 million to McGill University. This helped set up three exchange programs with Shantou University.
In 2013, Li Ka-shing donated $2 million to the University of California, San Francisco. This was to support their work in precision medicine.
With a donation of over HK$3 billion from Li, Tsz Shan Monastery was built over ten years. It is a place for Chinese Buddhist practice and education. It opened to the public in April 2015.
In April 2015, the Foundation donated $1 million to help after the earthquake in Nepal.
In 2017, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated $3 million to the University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research in Australia. This was to help speed up cancer research.
Also in 2017, with a £20 million gift from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Oxford University started the Big Data Institute. This center helps researchers analyze health data to find new treatments.
In 2018, Li Ka Shing donated HK$10 million to Food Angel. This program provides hot meals to people who need them.
In 2018, the Li Ka Shing Foundation and CK Hutchison Holdings donated $5 million for disaster relief after a tsunami and earthquake in Indonesia.
The Li Ka Shing Foundation helped fund the first time a robot sailed around the Antarctic. This happened from January to August 2019.
In January 2019, the Li Ka Shing Foundation supported Médecins Sans Frontières in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In February 2019, the Foundation gave $2 million to help with technology and innovation in Zhejiang and Shanghai.
In March 2019, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$10 million to help with heart treatments at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
In June 2019, the Li Ka Shing Foundation offered free scholarships for students at Shantou University.
In July 2019, the Shanghai’s Little Pigeon Dancing Group's trip to a dance competition in Japan was funded by the Foundation.
In October 2019, the Li Ka Shing Foundation announced a HK$1 billion donation. This was to help small and medium-sized businesses in Hong Kong during tough times.
In 2020, the Li Ka Shing Foundation helped fight COVID-19. They found protective gear and funded medical research. They used HK$180 million for relief, including HK$100 million for frontline medical workers in Wuhan.
In 2019 and 2020, the Foundation gave over HK$200 million for medical and welfare services in Hong Kong.
In July 2020, the Li Ka Shing Foundation announced another HK$101 million to help Hong Kong citizens.
In September 2020, the Foundation gave HK$170 million to four local universities. This was to help Hong Kong be more competitive.
In September 2020, the Li Ka Shing Foundation gave CA$500,000 to PALLIUM CANADA. This was to support professionals in palliative care.
In November 2020, HK$5 million was donated for a book about Hong Kong's history.
In November 2020, HK$3 million was given to families of victims of a fire in Yau Ma Tei.
In December 2020, two professors supported by Li Ka Shing, Prof. Michael Houghton and Prof. Jennifer Doudna, won Nobel Prizes.
On 24 January 2021, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$20 million to Precious Hospital (Caritas) for knee replacement surgeries.
In February 2021, the Li Ka Shing Foundation gave PARKnSHOP coupons worth HK$200 to all 97,000 Hospital Authority staff. This was to thank them for their hard work during the pandemic.
In April 2021, an additional CA$1 million was given to the University of Ottawa for spinal cord injury research.
In April 2021, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$4 million to the Hong Kong Kidney Foundation.
In July 2021, the Li Ka Shing Medical Fellowship was set up at the University of Hong Kong.
In October 2021, a donation of HK$5.6 million was made to Sailability Hong Kong. This helps people with disabilities learn to sail.
In December 2021, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$5 million to help patients with chest pain get scans at the University of Hong Kong.
From February to March 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated about HK$60 million to private hospitals in Hong Kong. This helped them take in non-COVID-19 patients.
In April 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$2 million to support the TREATS Inclusive Sports for All program.
In May 2022, the Li Ka-shing Foundation and the CK Group each donated HK$3 million to the Community Chest of Hong Kong Pandemic Rainbow Fund.
In May 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$150 million to the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong for research.
In June 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation started a program to help families of victims of construction accidents.
In July 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated CN¥10 million to help with kidney dialysis programs.
In August 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$4 million for research on sleep apnea and lung cancer.
In January 2023, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated CN¥1 million to the Shanghai Little White Pigeon Dance Troupe.
The Foundation supported a program at the University of Hong Kong to help patients with liver and stomach problems get scans.
In April 2022, a donation of CN¥100 million was made to build a new hospital building in Chaozhou.
In August 2022, HK$30 million was donated to help with flood relief in Beijing-Tianjin and Northeast China.
In August 2022, a donation of US$25 million was made to Philanthropy Asia Alliance.
In August 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$1 million to Opera Hong Kong. This helps young artists study overseas.
In October 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$3 million to the Hong Kong Kidney Foundation.
In December 2022, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$30 million to help after the Gansu Earthquake.
In March 2024, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$10 million for heart treatments at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.
In May 2024, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated $4 million to the University of Michigan for liver and cancer research.
In the second half of 2024, the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong received new cancer treatment devices from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
The Foundation also made donations to several other charity programs. These included cataract surgery, kidney stone surgery, dental care, and sports for students with special needs.