Cheung Kong Holdings Chairman
Li Ka-Shing, it's said, takes a cut from every dollar spent in Hong Kong — and that's not much of an exaggeration. The ubiquitous entrepreneur started in the plastic-toy business in 1950 and propelled himself into real estate, shipping and telecommunications. His secret? Keep dealing. Even before China took over Hong Kong, Li, 73, was investing on the mainland. Hutchison Whampoa has pushed into the Internet, low-income housing and commercial projects across China. Not surprisingly, Li has the ear of President Jiang Zemin.