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What is Lei Jun’s Net Worth?
Lei Jun, the founder and CEO of Xiaomi, has an estimated net worth of $14.9 billion. He is a prominent figure in the technology industry and a notable billionaire entrepreneur.
The primary source of Lei Jun’s wealth is his stake in Xiaomi, a leading consumer electronics company known for its innovative smartphones and other electronic products. His entrepreneurial ventures and strategic investments have significantly contributed to his financial success.
Lei Jun’s career began with his involvement in Kingsoft, where he served as CEO and led the company to its initial public offering. He also founded Joyo.com, which he later sold to Amazon, and made early investments in companies like YY, which yielded substantial returns.
In addition to his business acumen, Lei Jun is also recognized for his philanthropic efforts. He has donated significant amounts to various causes, including education and disaster relief.
Notably, in 2021, he donated over $2.2 billion worth of Xiaomi shares to charity, underscoring his commitment to giving back to society.
Here’s the breakdown of Lei Jun’s net worth:
Name: | Lei Jun |
Net Worth: | $14.9 Billion |
Date of Birth: | 16 December 1969 |
Profession: | Businessperson |
If you’re curious about how we estimate a celebrity’s net worth, you can check out our methodology here.
Early Life and Education
Lei Jun was born on December 16, 1969, in Xiantao, a small city in Hubei Province, China. He came from humble beginnings, with both his parents working as teachers during a challenging period following the Cultural Revolution. Despite the financial constraints, Lei developed an early interest in electronics, often disassembling and reassembling radios as a child.
Lei’s academic journey began at Mianyang Middle School (now Xiantao Middle School), from which he graduated in 1987. He then enrolled at Wuhan University, one of China’s top institutions, to study Computer Science. At university, Lei’s exceptional abilities became evident as he completed all the credits required for graduation in just two years, a feat that typically takes four.
During his time at Wuhan University, Lei also co-founded Rose Studio with a friend, developing software tools that gained popularity among programmers. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
Career
Lei Jun’s career is marked by a series of successful ventures and strategic moves in the tech industry. After graduating, he joined Kingsoft Corporation Limited in 1992, quickly rising through the ranks. He became CEO of Kingsoft in 1998 at the age of 28 and led the company to its initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007.
In 2000, Lei founded Joyo.com, an online bookstore, which he sold to Amazon for $75 million in 2004. This sale, along with his early $1 million investment in YY (which later became worth $129 million when the company went public in 2012), significantly contributed to his growing wealth.
Lei’s most notable achievement came in 2010 when he co-founded Xiaomi with several partners. Under his leadership, Xiaomi rapidly grew to become one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers.
Throughout his career, Lei has also been an active angel investor and venture capitalist. In 2011, he co-founded Shunwei Capital, through which he has invested in numerous innovative enterprises across various sectors.
Personal Life
Lei Jun is married to Zhang Tong, and they have two children together.
Lei is known for his limited English proficiency and often uses a translator when speaking to the media. This aspect of his personal life highlights his strong roots in Chinese culture and business practices.
Despite his enormous wealth and influence, Lei seems to maintain a relatively low-key lifestyle, focusing more on his work and philanthropic efforts than on personal extravagance.
Philanthropy
Lei Jun has made significant contributions to various charitable causes throughout his career. By 2017, he had already donated $1 billion to charity, starting with a modest donation of ¥140,000 to his alma mater, Wuhan University, in 1997. His philanthropic efforts have expanded over the years, encompassing a wide range of causes:
- Education: Lei has made substantial donations to schools, including funding for schools serving migrant children.
- Disaster Relief: He contributed to relief efforts for victims of the 2013 Lushan earthquake.
- Health Initiatives: Lei participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research.
- Community Development: He has funded the renovation of schools and mudbrick houses, as well as the construction of cultural buildings in rural areas.
In 2021, Lei made headlines by donating over $2.2 billion worth of Xiaomi shares to charity, marking one of the largest individual donations in China’s history.
Most recently, in 2023, Lei donated 1.3 billion yuan (approximately $183 million) to Wuhan University on its 130th anniversary, the largest individual donation ever given to a Chinese university. This donation will support basic research in six major disciplines, scientific and technological innovation in computer science, and student cultivation.
Awards and Recognition
Lei Jun’s contributions to the technology industry and society at large have earned him numerous awards and accolades:
- Businessman of the Year: In 2014, Lei was named Businessman of the Year by Forbes.
- Time 100: In 2015, he was included in the Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people.
- Outstanding Builder of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: In 2019, Lei received this prestigious recognition from the Chinese government.
- China Charity Award: In 2021, Lei was awarded the 11th “China Charity Award” by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
- Forbes China’s Best CEO: In 2021, Lei ranked first in Forbes “2021 China’s Best CEO List”.
- Top 10 News Figures of China’s Private Economy: Lei was selected as one of the “Top 10 News Figures of China’s Private Economy in 2021”.
- Hurun China Philanthropy List: In November 2022, Lei ranked third in the “HENGCHANG SHAOFANG·Hurun China Philanthropy List 2022” with a total donation of RMB14.5 billion.
These awards and recognitions not only highlight Lei Jun’s business acumen but also underscore his significant impact on philanthropy and social responsibility in China.
Ashley Roberts is the founder of Real-Time Billionaires List. She founded this platform because she likes to know how much celebrities are actually making. She is always curious why these people can make much more money than the ordinary person.
With a Bachelor’s degree in finance, she is skilled at financial analysis and understands numbers related to wealth. Most of the articles on this site are edited by herself before publishing.
