Born into the Great Eagle family real estate business, Vincent Lo decided early on in his career to strike out on his own, launching Shui On in 1971 at the age of 23. Lo is the founder and chairman of Shui On Group, and also chairman of Shui On Land, China Xintiandi and Socam Development.

He had his first big break with the construction of Hong Kong’s Yau Tong Centre in 1978, and expanded into hotels in 1985, in Shanghai. Lo really made his name, though, with the landmark revitalisation of Xintiandi, transforming the historic area of Shanghai into a high-end entertainment district while preserving much of its traditional architecture. His work has had a profound impact on urban planning in mainland China, inspiring planners to consider preserving historical sites.

Lo received the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017. He is a Justice of the Peace and a Chevalier des Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 World Chinese Economic Forum, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2009.

He has been talking about stepping down for a decade, but hasn’t quite managed to do so yet; his daughter, Stephanie Lo Bo-yue, was appointed executive director of Shui On in 2018.