CONTROVERSIAL TYCOON

NO ONE had heard of Ji Changqun until 2016, when he suddenly burst on the scene to lead a reverse takeover of China High Speed Transmission Equipment, a technology provider for wind power firms.

The £1.16bn deal made Ji’s Fullshare Holdings one of the major players in Asia. His first venture outside Asia saw him buy an Australian childcare centre. Ji is thought to have worked his way up an engineering firm, Jiasheng Construction Group, before becoming general manager.

Associates describe him as a ‘workaholic’ but health-conscious. He grows his own fruit and vegetables and takes long walks each morning before work. However, there are few clues as to how he built the wealth with which he struck his first deals.