Tycoon Li Ka-shing has added more than US$6 billion to his net worth, boosting his standing as Hong Kong’s richest individual and contributing to a US$65 billion increase in the assets of the city’s 50 richest people, according to Forbes.
The tycoon, dubbed “Superman” for his business acumen, handed over the reins of his business empire to his son Victor Li Tzar-kuoi in 2018.
“The collective net worth of tycoons on the 2026 Forbes list of Hong Kong’s 50 Richest jumped 22 per cent to an all-time high of US$366 billion from US$301 billion last year,” Forbes said.
Li’s wealth appeared to be unscathed by a US$22.8 billion global ports sale that soured after Beijing opposed an in-principle agreement to sell an 80 per cent stake in his group’s port assets to a consortium led by BlackRock.
Meanwhile, the second spot went to Peter and Martin Lee and family, who are the controlling shareholders of Henderson Land Development, with their wealth estimated to be worth US$34.9 billion. Peter Lee Ka-kit and Martin Lee Ka-shing serve as co-chairmen of one of Hong Kong’s largest developers, with landmark projects such as The Henderson and Central Yards in the city’s main business district.
