Minoru Mori was considered to be one of Japan"s most powerful and influential building tycoons.
Background
He joined his father, Taikichiro"s, real estate business after graduating from Tokyo University and was president and Chief Executive Officer of Mori Building, of which he and his older brother Kei"s (a university professor) families owned 100%.
Career
He owned 12.74% of Sunwood Corporation. The family name is found on many real estate developments in Japan. His largest project was the Roppongi Hills development in Tokyo which opened in 2003.
The Shanghai World Financial Center, which is China"s tallest building, was completed in 2008.
Mori acknowledged the influence of Le Corbusier but believed he had surpassed the Swiss architect"s urban designs, particularly in the Roppongi Hills project In 2006, Mori"s last development, Omotesando Hills, opened near Harajuku station consisting of a set of ramped shopping floors.
In 2008, he was named Asia Businessman of the Year 2007 by Fortune magazine. In 2009, he was honored as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth World War II He died of heart failure in 2012.
He was 77.