Zhong Shanshan (Chinese: 钟睒睒; pinyin: Zhōng Shǎnshǎn, born December 1954) is a Chinese billionaire businessman.
He is the founder and chairperson of the Nongfu Spring beverage company, and the majority owner of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise.
As of 2022, he is the wealthiest Chinese citizen with a net worth of $62.3 billion. His source of wealth is mainly beverages and pharmaceuticals.
Biography
Early life
Zhong was born in Hangzhou in 1954. He dropped out of primary school during the Cultural Revolution and found work in construction. In 1977, he enrolled at what is now the Zhejiang Radio & TV University studying Chinese. Zhong was a journalist at the Zhejiang Daily before quitting in 1988 to enter business. In 1988, Zhong moved to Hainan, an island off the coast of southern China. He sold mushrooms, prawns, and turtles during his time on the island. He then went on to work at the Wahaha beverage company as a sales agent, and sold healthcare supplements.
Zhong became a reporter in the 1980s. He quit after a five-year stint to set up a bottled water distributor business in Hainan, an island province in southern China. He founded Yangshengtang, a health products brand, in March 1993 and Nongfu Spring, a beverage brand in September 1996, according to Nongfu Spring’s 2020 prospectus for an initial public offering. Nongfu started publicly trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange in September 2020.
He acquired a majority stake in Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmaceutical Enterprise Co. in 2001. The medical products company began trading publicly on the Shanghai exchange in April 2020. Zhong left the Wantai board in January 2021, citing personal reasons, according to a company filing.
Personal life
Zhong maintains a low public profile, and has been called a “lone wolf” by Chinese media. He purchased an apartment in Xihu District, Hangzhou, where he primarily resides. Nongfu Spring’s headquarters are also located in Xihu district, which is known for its proximity to the city’s scenic West Lake. Zhong is married to Lu Xiaoping, and they have three children together.
Milestones
- 1954 Born in Hangzhou, China.
- 1996 Founded Nongfu Spring, a bottled water brand.
- 2001 Acquired a majority stake in Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise.
- 2020 Nongfu Spring becomes publicly traded in Hong Kong.
