China Vanke founder Wang Shi on his transition from tycoon to mature-age student and environmentalist

Property developer Wang Shi talks to Sheng Kai about his transition from business tycoon to mature student and committed environmentalist

f wang shi were a character in a novel you were reading, you would scoff, put the book down and think nobody could be that accomplished in real life. The founder and chairman of China Vanke, one of the biggest residential real estate developers in the world, is one of the richest men in Asia. While amassing his fortune in Mainland China, he has somehow found the time to publish four books, become a visiting scholar at numerous universities, earn a master’s degree from Harvard, scale Mount Everest twice, trek to the North and South Poles, and fight for environmental causes around China.

“I’ve always been quite an energetic and inquisitive man,” says 64-year-old Wang from his home in Shanghai. “When I turned 60, I decided to go to Harvard. I think it’s essential to stay curious about life and the best way to do that is to take yourself out of your comfort zone. I lived a monastic life for the three years I was there. It wasn’t easy to overcome the language barrier, so I turned down all social invitations and focused purely on my studies. It was a wonderful time though. My thoughts, viewpoints and expressions all shifted.”

Wang’s transition from business tycoon to mature student had been on the cards for a while. His first venture into academia was in 2009, when he was invited to lecture on business management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which was followed by stints in Beijing, Singapore and Cambridge. During that time, he climbed Mount Everest for the second time, aged 60, earning the accolade of being the oldest Chinese national to make it to the summit. “Being on the roof of the world is the most incredible experience. It makes you appreciate the majesty of nature.”

A love of the natural world has been the driving force behind much of Wang’s recent work. He founded the Society of Entrepreneurs in 2004, one of the largest environmental-protection organisations in China. Alongside Jewish and East Asian history, the tycoon also studied urban planning and the economic policies of new energy during his time at Harvard. “I believe the era of mass demolition and mass construction is over. Chinese cities now need to establish themselves as green cities. Today, all residential properties built by Vanke meet the highest sustainability standards; they save water, electricity, energy resources, concrete and timber, with less waste generation and energy consumption. We own a lot of land in Shenzhen and we are hoping to turn it into a greener, more environmentally aware city over the next decade. Shenzhen’s transformation will be significant, as many Chinese cities are modelled on it.”

Wang’s focus may currently be on the mainland, but like most environmentalists, his vision is global. “In the beginning I was very aware of my Chinese background, but I’m inclined to think of myself as a world citizen now. Although 95 per cent of Vanke’s construction takes place in China, the timber is from Latin America and Africa, and we’re destroying their tropical rainforests. The more I travel, the more I realise that we urgently need to work out what we can do to lessen our impact on our planet.”

Environmentalists around the world have lauded the tycoon for his work. WWF senior vice-president Julie Miller said in an email interview, “Wang Shi thoroughly understands the inseparable bond between a healthy environment and a healthy business venture. His knowledge of sustainable development and his dedication to green construction will soon exert a major influence on global business transitions.”

So what advice does the tycoon-turnedenvironmentalist have for the rest of us? “Everyone can live a meaningful and fulfilling life,” he says. “You must have concrete goals and you should never be content with where you are now—always pursue a better life. You also need a strong set of morals and values, both on a human and a business level. Know that life is limited, so do something that you can be proud of.”