Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore had three new additions and 32 Singaporeans in total on the Forbes’ 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List
This week, Forbes released their highly-anticipated 35th Annual World’s Billionaires List. In a surprising turn, there was a five trillion-dollar surge in wealth and an addition of 493 new billionaires into the list despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Singapore alone had three new additions, namely David Chen, Shi Xu and Yao Hsiao Tung.
Singapore also has a total of 32 Singaporeans on the list this year.
We take a closer look at these individuals and what it took to get them into this prestigious list.
(Related: Singapore's Richest 2021: Meet 3 New Entrants on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List)
#75 Zhang Yong
Net Worth: US$23B
China's richest restaurateur and now a naturalised Singapore citizen, Zhang Yong, is the founder of the famous hot pot chain Haidilao. The restaurant opened its doors in China back in 2018; Today, Zhang has 768 Haidilao outlets in China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States.
Haidilao gained popularity quickly when it was introduced mostly because of the high-quality dishes they served as well as their highly attentive customer service. In fact, the restaurant offers manicures, hair ties, snacks and more for their guests.
Zhang never finished high school and did not actually know how to prepare a typical Sichuan hotpot when he first started out.
Financially, the billionaire was helped out by three friends, one of whom later became his wife, who provided him with the seed money.
(Related: Haidilao's Billionaire Founder Zhang Yong Tops Forbes Singapore’s Richest List Again in 2020)
#80 Goh Cheng Liang
Net Worth: US$21.7B
Goh Cheng Liang, who is currently 93 years old, founded Nippon Paint Singapore in1955.
Though the company started out small, Goh quickly grew the company such that it became Singapore's first paint manufacturing plant. Today, Nippon Paint Holdings is the world's fourth-largest paint manufacture.
This year, Goh's son, Hup Jin, who chairs Nippon Paint, decided to sell their privately held ventures for US$12 billion in exchange for additional shares in Nippon.
