The Canadian Encyclopedia — neutral, cited, updated
July 26, 2026Sources cited
Canadianwire.
Canada’s encyclopedia & explainer
Home›Business & Money›Billionaire›Li Ka-shing
Business & Money • Billionaire

Li Ka-shing

Li Ka-shing (Chinese: 李嘉誠) is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist born on 29 July 1928.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Li Ka-shing is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist who founded Cheung Kong Group. Born on 29 July 1928 in Chao'an, Guangdong, he moved to Hong Kong in 1940 and built one of Asia's largest business empires. He retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings in 2018.

Early life

Li Ka-shing was born in Chao'an, Guangdong, in 1928 and moved to Hong Kong in 1940. Sources describe him as having grown up in Hong Kong and begun working at a young age.

Business career

He founded Cheung Kong Group, which expanded into a large diversified conglomerate. Publicly available biographies note his later expansion into property and the acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa in 1979.

Wealth and public profile

Li was for many years among the most prominent billionaires in Asia and Hong Kong. Recent English-language reporting places him among the world's richest people, though rankings and net worth estimates vary by source and year.

Retirement and succession

In 2018, CK Hutchison announced that Li would retire and become a senior adviser. His son Victor Li succeeded him as chairman of the group.

Key facts

  • Li Ka-shing founded Cheung Kong Group, which became one of Hong Kong's major business conglomerates.
  • He lived and worked in Hong Kong from 1940 onward.
  • In 1979, Cheung Kong acquired Hutchison Whampoa, a major milestone in his business career.
  • He retired in 2018 and transferred the chairmanship of CK Hutchison Holdings to his elder son, Victor Li.
  • He has also been widely described as an investor and philanthropist.
🍁
Canadian context

Li Ka-shing is relevant to Canadian readers because his companies and investments have had global reach, and one source notes a London and Vancouver listing history for Cheung Kong, indicating international business ties that included Canada.[4]

Frequently asked questions

Who is Li Ka-shing?
He is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist best known for founding Cheung Kong Group.
When was Li Ka-shing born?
He was born on 29 July 1928.
What companies is he associated with?
He is associated with Cheung Kong Group and CK Hutchison Holdings, and sources also note the Hutchison Whampoa acquisition.
Did Li Ka-shing retire from business leadership?
Yes. In 2018, he retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and became a senior adviser.
Why is Li Ka-shing notable?
He is notable for building one of Hong Kong's largest business empires and for long being ranked among Asia's richest people.

References

  1. Chinese Wikipedia — https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E6%9D%8E%E5%98%89%E8%AA%A0
    Supports: Birth date, origin, Hong Kong residence, business prominence, retirement in 2018
  2. English Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Ka-shing
    Supports: Business magnate, investor, philanthropist, founder of Cheung Kong Group, recent wealth ranking
  3. Eastmoney — https://renwu.eastmoney.com/lijiacheng/index.html
    Supports: Early life, migration to Hong Kong, business career milestones
  4. Phoenix Finance — https://finance.ifeng.com/people/comchief/lijiacheng.shtml
    Supports: Birthplace, company roles, founding of Cheung Kong Plastic Factory, listing history including Vancouver
  5. Wikiwand — https://www.wikiwand.com/zh-hk/articles/%E6%9D%8E%E5%98%89%E8%AA%A0
    Supports: Retirement announcement, succession to Victor Li, business prominence