Click image for details Today we're talking about a super-rich man, With a net worth of $60 billion, he has long been Malaysia's richest man, His business empire spans the globe, yet he remains incredibly low-key. Crowned one of the 'World's Six Sugar Kings,' He monopolizes the white sugar industry across Asia, He is the master of Arawana, He is also the founder of Shangri-La Hotels, ▼ He even owns the Beijing CBD area, A super landlord of 1.1 million square meters! ▼ (Note: China World Trade Center Phases 1, 2, 3, and Kerry Centre are all his properties) He is Robert Kuok, the helmsman of the Kerry Group. ▼ At 40, he became the 'Sugar King of Asia'; now at 90, he still works on the front lines. He says business is 90% about one's own diligence and wisdom. Today, Chuang Ge will dig into how this super-rich man was made!
His Parents Told Him: Without Ability, You'll Be a Poor Second Generation, Not a Rich One
In 1923, Robert Kuok was born into a Chinese merchant family in Malaysia. He grew up in comfortable circumstances and received a good education. His father, Kuok Khoon Chen, was a remarkable businessman who instilled in his three sons from a young age: as businessmen, they must be honest, keep their word, and be patriotic. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, his father organized overseas Chinese in Malaysia to donate money to support the resistance. His mother, Zheng Geru, was a woman of great vision. She told her three sons: 'If you lack ability, I would rather donate the property than leave it for you to squander.' ▼ Robert Kuok and his two brothers with their mother In such a family, Robert Kuok showed excellence from a young age. Not only was he fluent in two languages, but he also gained admission to the prestigious Raffles College in Singapore. There, he studied hard, built connections, and earned the appreciation of many mentors. After World War II, with everything in ruins, Robert Kuok used his prior connections to secure Malaysia's grain business, even monopolizing the flour industry, helping his family get back on track after the war. In 1947, with his father's support, the 24-year-old Robert Kuok started his own business, founding his first company in Singapore—Likuwu Company. However, in the second year of his venture, his father passed away from illness, and the family burden fell on Robert Kuok's shoulders. ▼
At 40, He Dominated Asia's Sugar Industry, Taking the First Step in Empire Building
In 1953, Robert Kuok's second brother died in the civil war, and the Kuok family was closely monitored by British colonial authorities. Unable to do anything, Robert Kuok went to England to learn business practices. He immersed himself in various business venues, sometimes staying in a commodity exchange all day with just two bread rolls and a bottle of water. There, he gained deep insights into the global sugar industry. In 1957, Malaysia gained independence from British colonial rule, and the country urgently needed to revive its economy. Robert Kuok immediately returned home. Recognizing Southeast Asia's abundance of sugarcane, he first persuaded his family to invest in the sugar industry, then negotiated with the government to establish Malaysia's first sugar refinery. ▼ 1. Standing Out Through Diligence At the time, Malaysia's sugar industry was monopolized by foreigners, keeping prices high. Robert Kuok planned to buy local sugarcane and process it locally, but Malaysia's sugar industry was springing up like bamboo shoots after rain, making competition fierce. Robert Kuok said that to succeed, you must be more diligent than others. He visited five or six companies a day to discuss cooperation, invited everyone to dinner in the evening, and then studied market trends when he got home. While competitors were drinking and singing, he was working; while they were sound asleep, he was still working. In this way, work that took others two years, he completed in just six months. ▼ 2. Expanding Through Integrity Robert Kuok's diligence was so intense that even his competitors couldn't stand it, so they resorted to dirty tricks. They mixed seawater into sugar to claim insurance compensation, then processed the sugar out, using the insurance payout as a cost subsidy to compete at low prices. Robert Kuok watched many people make big money this way, but he remained unmoved, adhering to his parents' teachings: 'In business, take the righteous path. Better to be slower and lose a bit, but focus on the big picture and the long term.' In the end, those formidable competitors are nowhere to be seen now. 3. Seizing Opportunities with Wisdom After that, Robert Kuok's sugar business flourished. Even when faced with competition from cheap sugar from other countries, he could stabilize prices thanks to his understanding of the international sugar market and his advantages in international trade. At one point, the market had a sugar surplus, and others were slashing prices to clear stock. Robert Kuok, however, bought up large quantities to hoard. When a disaster struck and sugar prices rose, he made a huge profit again. ▼ Competitors said Robert Kuok's success was just luck, but behind that luck was his extraordinary wisdom. Since entering the industry, Robert Kuok continuously gathered information and studied market dynamics—from sugar supply and demand, to people's production and consumption, even shipping and weather forecasts. This allowed him to understand that shipping sugar by boat takes five to six months to reach a country, but if a country is short of sugar, it can't wait more than a month. Hoarding sugar and selling when prices rise would surely make money—that was his mastery of the market. By the time Robert Kuok was 40, he controlled 5% of global sugar production, becoming one of the world's six sugar kings and earning the title 'Sugar King of Asia.' ▼
He Spent $500 Million to Build China World Trade Center, Saying: Only When the Country Develops Can Businesses Thrive
In 1984, Deng Xiaoping wanted to develop China's economy, but China didn't even have a decent trade center. So the state planned to build the China World Trade Center on Jianguomenwai Avenue. Initially, no one was optimistic about the project because the area was too desolate. After much effort, they found two foreign consortiums—one American, one Japanese—but their conditions were extremely harsh. ▼ A friend told Robert Kuok about this, and he was furious: 'Does today's China still have to rely on foreigners?' He immediately decided: 'We must strive for pride and not let outsiders look down on us Chinese. This matter should be done by us Chinese ourselves.' ▼ At the time, he had $100 million in the Bangkok Bank, but the investment required $500 million. He diverted funds from his other businesses, and when that wasn't enough, he took out loans. His employees thought he was crazy, but he said that only when the country develops can businesses make money and people live better lives. In the end, Robert Kuok not only completed Phase 1 of China World Trade Center perfectly but also continued investing to complete Phases 2 and 3. ▼ In 1990, Deng Xiaoping specially met with him for 40 minutes and praised him: 'You and I are both in the role of pathfinders.' ▼ Today, China World Trade Center is one of the world's largest business centers, With 1.1 million square meters of commercial space for lease only, not for sale, Bringing Robert Kuok unimaginable wealth. ▼
His Business Empire Is Vaster Than Imagined, and His Secret to Success Is Giving Back to Society
Sugar and China World Trade Center are just the tip of the iceberg of Robert Kuok's business empire. Beyond that, he owns numerous listed companies, including flour mills, edible oil companies, feed processing plants, quarries, glass factories, mines, banks, trading companies, and shipping services. He is also the founder of the Arawana Group and Shangri-La Hotels. ▼ In 2012, Robert Kuok received the China Economic Person of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. Chuang Ge truly believes he deserves it. ▼ Making one successful deal isn't hard, but building a vast business like Mr. Kuok's must require unimaginable wisdom. Looking at his business journey, Mr. Kuok himself summarizes it this way: First: Whatever business you do, dare to take risks. Don't overthink. When you find a good project, seize it quickly and push forward with great momentum. Second: You must be patient. There will be difficulties along the way; overcome them. He uses Deng Xiaoping's example to encourage people: If you're knocked down in business, get back up; if knocked down again, get up again. Third: After success, be especially careful with money. Though we say failure is the mother of success, success is often the mother of failure too. Fourth: Give back to society with the money you earn—the more, the better. For a company's name to be resounding, It requires not only diligence and wisdom, But also a heart that loves the country and its people. That is the strongest backing for an entrepreneur. Let's give a thumbs up to a great entrepreneur like Mr. Kuok! Source: Chuang Daily (ID: chuangribao)