Zong Qinghou is a Chinese business mogul and philanthropist. He is best known for being the Chairman, CEO and founder of the Hangzhou Wahaha Group, China’s biggest beverage corporation. Qinghou was born in the year 1945 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang region of China. With very limited formal education, Zong went on to work extremely hard to achieve all that he has today.
He started from working on a salt farm and did odd jobs to support his family due to the lack of education. Today, Zong Qinghou is one of the richest men in the world and also politically involved in China as the delegate of the Chinese National People’s Congress.
Let us now look at the esteemed Qinghou Family
Qinghou Parents
Zong’s parents belonged to the lower working class community of China and the family had a very limited source of income. Both his parents worked to support the family. Zong’s mother was a teacher while his father worked at various farms and factories. From the very beginning Zong’s parents, especially his mother had been very supportive of him and always encouraged him to pursue his dreams with full zeal and enthusiasm.
Qinghou Spouse – Shi Youzhen
Zong Qinghou is married to Shi Youzhen and she is involved with her husband in running the family business. She is a Purchasing Manager at Wahaha and now owns a major stake in the corporation. Shi is also of a very giving and caring nature just like her husband and has donated millions in funds to various charities and organizations based in China and abroad. The couple has only one child.
Qinghou Children – Kelly Zong
Kelly is the only child and daughter of Zong and Shi Qinghou. She was born in the 1982 and holds a prominent position in the Hangzhou Wahaha Group. Kelly along with her parents controls 80% of the company’s shares and is a rising businesswoman. She had completed her higher studies from the United States and graduated from Southern California’s Pepperdine University in the year 2004. Kelly became a naturalized US citizen while studying and living there with her mother. Recently she announced that she wishes to give up her American citizenship and become a Chinese citizen.
Net Worth
As of 2015, Zong Qinghou has a net worth of USD 7.6 billion. This makes him the 124th richest person in the world and the 7th richest in China.