Background
Zhu was born in 1959 in Fengshun, Guangdong Province.
孟依 朱
Zhu was born in 1959 in Fengshun, Guangdong Province.
Zhu Mengyi was educated locally.
Before entering the real estate business, he was a government bureaucrat. After Deng Xiaoping’s visit to Southern China put Chinese economic reform back on track, Zhu launched the Hopson Development real estate business in 1992, and by 1998 it was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. A major property conglomerate, Hopson Development focuses on a wide range of real estate developments, including residential, commercial, and hotel properties. In little over a decade, Zhu has turned Hopson into a national real estate brand, and the company is involved in more than 30 projects in major cities, including Guangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai. In addition, the company is a major player in the tourism and vacation businesses and in property management.
Ranked by Forbes magazine as the second richest Chinese in 2005 and number four in 2006, Zhu’s personal fortune jumped from US$313 million in 2003 to US$1.9 billion in 2006. Well regarded within the property industry, the company has won many awards. In 2005, Hopson was fifth of the top ten real estate companies in China, a Blue Chip Property Enterprise in China, and among the Top Ten National Brands. In 2004 and 2005, the company also won business awards for its contribution in building a harmonious society in China. In addition, Hopson was described as a model of successful development in the real estate sector in 2002, and was named among the most competitive real estate enterprises for three consecutive years starting from 2001, and was ranked first in 2003. With its massive scale of development and the greatest number of property owners, Hopson has become one of the largest property developers with the best performance in mainland China over recent years.
It is Zhu’s personal belief that business growth cannot be achieved without social development, and with this in mind he has emphasized the company’s commitment to its social responsibilities. Consequently, he gave $140 million to education and health causes in 2006, and was ranked number two in 2007 among the most generous Chinese philanthropists by the Hurun Report. Working with various government agencies and non-profit organizations, Hopson has contributed to education, culture, environmental protection, and public health, among others. Besides strong financial support, Hopson also encourages its staff actively to participate in volunteer community activities.
Zhu advocates ‘benefiting others, fulfilling oneself and following the right path’ as Hopson’s guiding principles. Hopson is committed to bringing ‘world-class living’ to Chinese residents, combining the advantages of low construction costs in mainland China and the high quality living arrangements of Hong Kong. Facing the mega-trends of globalization and fast urbanization in China, Zhu is confident that his company will make an active contribution to the future of Chinese cities by developing Hopson into a ‘reputable and familiar brand known for its international and professional characteristics.’