Li Ka-shing, a business entrepreneur who is reported to have a net worth of $33.4 billion, is the wealthiest individual in Hong Kong. Li was born in China in 1928, but he fled to Hong Kong in 1940 so that he might avoid being occupied by the Japanese. He began his career as a manufacturer of plastic flowers before going on to find success in the real estate and shipping industries. During the 1980s, he established Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa, two of the most profitable corporations in the territory at the time. Today, Li is recognized as one of the most generous philanthropists in the world. He has contributed more than $2 billion to a variety of charitable organizations, including education and medical care.