Pioneering spirit of an entrepreneur

Transformations are mostly a reflection of personal changes in the dynamic chairman

Among Wang Shi's many hobbies are sailing, gliding and mountaineering. An adventurer at heart, the chairman of China Vanke Co Ltd, the nation's largest residential real estate developer, successfully reached the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of each of the seven continents, from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, he reached the North and South Poles.

While Wang's adventurous achievements have long been chronicled, what hasn't been widely discussed are his recent educational pursuits. From 2011 to 2013, he attended Harvard University as a visiting scholar. Last year, he took several classes at the University of Cambridge.