Early Life
Richard Li Tzar-kai was born on November 8, 1966, in Hong Kong, as the youngest son of the billionaire Li Ka-shing. He attended St. Paul's Co-educational College in Hong Kong and Menlo School in Atherton, California. He studied computer engineering at Stanford University but withdrew before graduating. During his studies, he worked at McDonald's and as a golf caddy.
Rise to Success
Li started his career in the fund-management department at Hutchison Whampoa in Hong Kong. In 1990, he founded STAR TV, a pan-Asian satellite-television network. He sold STAR TV to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in 1993 and 1995 for a total of $950.5 million. Using the funds, he founded Pacific Century Group (PCG) in 1993, an investment firm that invested in real estate, financial services, technology, and media & telecommunications. In 2000, PCCW acquired Cable & Wireless HKT for $38 billion. In 2013, PCG founded FWD Group, an insurance company. FWD Group went public in Hong Kong in 2025.
Key Business Strategies
Richard Li's key business strategies include strategic acquisitions and expansion into emerging markets, particularly in Asia. He has focused on the telecommunications, media, financial services, and insurance industries. He has also expanded his investments by teaming up with Peter Thiel to establish a $595 million blank-check firm for acquiring Southeast Asian companies.
Philanthropy
Richard Li has directed philanthropic efforts towards disaster relief and cultural preservation, primarily in Asia. In 2023, he donated approximately $195,096 to a fund aiding Malaysian students in Hong Kong universities. In August 2023, he donated HK$20 million (approximately $2.5 million) to support the Jingjinji Metropolitan Region affected by the deadly downpours, flooding, and landslips. Through PCCW, Li has overseen several relief efforts and charity programs, including providing telecommunication services during the 2002–03 SARS outbreak.