Early Life and Education
Fan Daidi was born in 1966 in a rural village in Shaanxi Province, China. She pursued a strong academic path, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from Northwest University in the 1980s. She furthered her education with a Ph.D. in biochemical engineering from East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai in 1994, becoming the first woman in China to earn a doctorate in that field.
Rise to Success
After completing her doctorate, Fan returned to Northwest University to teach and conduct research. Her focus shifted to recombinant collagen synthesis, which became the cornerstone of her future business endeavors. In 2000, she successfully developed recombinant collagen technology and, with her husband Yan Jianya, founded Giant Biogene. The company became a leader in collagen-based skincare products. In 2022, Giant Biogene was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, solidifying Fan's status as a billionaire. In April 2024, Fan was appointed as the vice-president of Northwest University, indicating her continued influence in academia alongside her business ventures.
Key Business Strategies
Fan Daidi's success is attributed to her ability to commercialize her scientific innovations. Her core business strategy revolved around the development and marketing of high-quality, recombinant collagen-based skincare products. This approach allowed her to secure a large share in the Chinese skincare market. Giant Biogene's products include skincare products, medical dressings, and popular beauty masks like Kefumei and Kefuxin. The company's focus on R&D, with 86 patents and pending patents, has been central to its growth.
Philanthropy
Giant Biogene has been involved in healthcare in China, donating money and equipment totaling 4.67 million yuan. Fan also treats educating students as her priority.