Hong Kong’s renowned real estate tycoon and founder of Henderson Land Development Company, Lee Shau Kee, known as “Fourth Uncle,” passed away on Monday (March 17) at the age of 97.
The official website of Henderson Land Development announced the obituary, stating that the group’s founder, Lee Shau Kee, passed away on the evening of March 17 with his family by his side at the age of 97.
According to the obituary, Lee Shau Kee had served as chairman of Henderson Land Development Company Limited, Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd., and Miramar Hotel & Investment Co. Ltd. He was also the vice-chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd., as well as a director of Bank of East Asia, Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Holdings Ltd., and Yan Oi Hospital. Additionally, he was a member of the first Chief Executive Election Committee of the SAR and the Selection Committee, as well as the Chief Honorary Chairman of the Shunde Association.
The obituary mentioned that in 1996, Lee Shau Kee was ranked the fourth richest person in the world by Forbes magazine.
The date of Lee Shau Kee’s funeral will be announced separately once all arrangements have been made by the family.
Born in 1928 in Shunde, Guangdong, Lee Shau Kee was the fourth child in his family, hence widely known as “Fourth Uncle.” In 1948, he began his entrepreneurial journey in Hong Kong, and in 1963, he was involved in the founding of the Hong Kong real estate giant Sun Hung Kai.
In 1975, Lee Shau Kee established Henderson Land Development Company Limited, gradually developing it into one of the four major real estate developers in Hong Kong, with businesses ranging from residential to commercial properties and infrastructure. Henderson Land was listed on the stock exchange in 1988.
In 1992, Lee Shau Kee collaborated with Li Ka-shing in developing the Jardine’s Lookout project in Central, Hong Kong.
In 1996, Lee Shau Kee founded Henderson China Holdings Limited to strengthen cooperation with mainland China. In December 2004, he set up Shau Kee Financial Enterprises for stock investments.
From September to October 2011, Lee Shau Kee stepped down from the directorship of 33 subsidiary companies in Hong Kong. In June 2014, he retired as chairman of Miramar Hotel. In May 2019, Lee Shau Kee retired from his positions as chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development Group, officially entering into retirement.
In 2020, with a wealth of $30.4 billion, Lee Shau Kee surpassed Li Ka-shing to become Hong Kong’s richest man that year.
Lee Shau Kee, Li Ka-shing, Peter Woo, and Cheng Yu Tung are known as the “Four Great Families of Hong Kong.” With Lee Shau Kee’s passing, three of the founders of the “Four Great Families of Hong Kong” have passed away, with only Li Ka-shing, born in the same year as Lee Shau Kee, still alive.