Maverick multi-billionaire

After civil service, real estate, beverages, food and education, Chen Sheng is looking for stiffer challenges

You may be forgiven if you assume Chen Sheng, 53, a newly minted multi-billionaire, must be one of those super-successful Chinese Internet startup founders. But the chairman and president of Tiandi No 1 Beverage Inc believes new-age businesses are not the only route to riches.

In fact, Chen swears by traditional industries. What's more, he rides a variety of them: real estate, beverages, food. Wears other hats too: darling of the capital markets, potential investor in startups, public speaker, founder of an educational institution.