Wang Jianlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wang Jianlin
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| 王健林 | |
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Wang in 2016
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| Born | 24 October 1954 Cangxi, Guangyuan, Sichuan, China
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| Education | Liaoning University |
| Occupation | Businessman, investor, philanthropist |
| Organization | Founder and chairman, Dalian Wanda Group |
| Known for | Wealthiest person in China (2015–2017) |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Lin Ning |
| Children | Wang Sicong (son) |
Wang Jianlin (Chinese: 王健林; pinyin: Wáng Jiànlín; born 24 October 1954) is a famous Chinese businessman and investor. He is also known for his charity work. He founded and leads the Dalian Wanda Group, a very large company in China.
His company is well-known for building many properties. It also runs the most movie theaters in the world. Wang Jianlin used to own a part of the Spanish football team Atlético Madrid. In 2016, he worked with FIFA to start the China Cup. This is a football tournament where national teams play each year in Nanning, China.
Wang has also advised the government in Yunnan province and Guiyang. He has been honored for his contributions to cities like Changchun and Dalian. In November 2020, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth to be about US$14.4 billion. This made him one of the richest people in China.
Contents
Early Life and Business Start
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Wang Jianlin was born on October 24, 1954. He grew up in Sichuan, China. He was the oldest of five sons. His father was a farmer who fought in the army.
At age 15, Wang joined the army. He served for 17 years and became a commander. In 1986, he started working for the government in Dalian.
In 1988, Wang borrowed $80,000. He used this money to buy a small property company. In 1992, his company became public. He changed its name to Dalian Wanda.
Wanda Group's Global Reach
Wang's company, Wanda Group, owns many buildings. It has over 21.57 million square meters of business property in China. This includes 168 Wanda Shopping Plazas and 82 luxury hotels. They also own 213 cinemas, 99 department stores, and 54 karaoke centers.
In 2012, Wanda Group became the world's largest movie theater owner. They bought AMC Theatres for $2.6 billion. They then listed AMC on the New York Stock Exchange.
In 2014, Wang bought the famous Edificio España building in Madrid, Spain. Before this, Wanda Group started big hotel projects in London and New York. They also had property projects in India.
In 2014, he bought land in Beverly Hills, California. He planned to build the American headquarters for his entertainment company there. It was called "One Beverly Hills."
Expanding into Entertainment
In January 2014, Wang launched a huge project. He invited Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio to help. They started an $8 billion "mini-Hollywood" in Qingdao, China.
In 2015, he bought a 20 percent share in the Spanish football club Atlético Madrid. He sold his share in 2018.
In 2016, Wang announced plans to compete with Disney. He wanted to build many amusement parks. His goal was to make sure Shanghai Disneyland Park did not earn much money in China.
In November 2016, Wanda Group planned to buy Dick Clark Productions for about $1 billion. This would give them rights to broadcast events like the Golden Globe Awards. Wanda already owned Legendary Entertainment, which made movies like Jurassic World. They also owned the U.S. cinema chain AMC Entertainment Holdings.
The Economist magazine has called Wang a "man of Napoleonic ambition." This refers to his strong drive and military background. He makes sure his company has "iron discipline." Employees can be fined for not following the company's dress code.
Public Service and Giving Back
Wang Jianlin joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1976. He served in the People's Liberation Army for 17 years. He started as a border guard and became a regimental commander.
He is a representative to the Chinese National People's Congress. This is China's top law-making body. He has been named "Economic Person of the Year" by CCTV twice.
Wang holds many important positions. He is a vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. He has also been a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since 2008.
He is also involved with many charity groups. He is vice chair of the China Charity Confederation. He also serves on the Global Advisory Council of Harvard University.
Philanthropic Contributions
Wang has given a lot of money to charity. In 2011, he donated $197 million. This money helped restore an old temple in Nanjing.
From 2014 to 2015, he gave $200,000. This helped fix the Electric Fountain in Beverly Hills, California. In 2017, he donated 20 million Chinese yuan. This money helped victims of a landslide in Sichuan.
Wang has a special saying: "stay close to the government and distant from politics." He believes business leaders should work with the government. But they should also keep a clear distance from political issues. He thinks governments need to talk to business owners. This helps them understand what businesses need.
In 2010, Wang donated one billion Chinese yuan (about $156 million). This was for rebuilding the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing. This was reported to be the largest personal donation ever made in China.
Wang Jianlin's Wealth
Wang Jianlin has been on lists of the world's richest people for many years.
In 2013, Forbes said he was the 128th richest person. He had $8.6 billion. Later that year, Bloomberg said he was the richest person in China. His wealth was $14.2 billion. By September 2013, the Hurun Report said his wealth grew to $22 billion.
In 2014, the Hurun Report listed him as the 25th richest person globally. His wealth was $25 billion. In 2015, Bloomberg said he was the richest person in Asia. He had $9.9 billion.
In 2016, Forbes reported he was the richest in Asia. His wealth was $28.7 billion. A year later, in 2017, Forbes ranked him 18th worldwide. He was the richest man in China with $31.3 billion. However, Jack Ma later became the richest man in China.
In 2020, Wang's wealth decreased. This was because his real estate and movie businesses faced problems. The COVID-19 pandemic affected them. Forbes estimated his net worth at $14 billion that year.
As of November 2022, Forbes ranked him 39th on China's Rich List. He was 138th on the World's Billionaires list. His estimated wealth was $7.9 billion.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Wang Jianlin is married to Lin Ning. They have a son named Wang Sicong. His son studied in the UK. Wang Sicong is now a board member of Wanda Group. He also invests in new companies in China.
Wang follows Buddhism, but he says he is not very religious. Because he was in the army, he lives a very disciplined life. He enjoys singing Tibetan and Mongolian folk songs. His hobbies include collecting art and singing karaoke.
In December 2015, Wang bought a house in London for £80 million. It was located at 15a Kensington Palace Gardens.
In July 2016, Wang released a book. It is called The Wanda Way. The book shares his ideas on how to manage a big company. It includes his business philosophy for Wanda's different units.
See also
In Spanish: Wang Jianlin para niños
