- Lei ranks fifth on Hurun's latest China Rich List with a fortune of RMB 326 billion ($46 billion), marking the largest wealth increase among entrepreneurs on this year's list.
- CATL's Robin Zeng ranked fourth with a fortune of RMB 330 billion.
The rapid expansion of Xiaomi's electric vehicle (EV) business has propelled a dramatic surge in the personal wealth of its founder, chairman, and CEO, Lei Jun.
The 56-year-old Lei ranks fifth on Hurun's latest China Rich List with a fortune of RMB 326 billion ($46 billion), climbing 14 spots from last year, according to a list released today.
The Xiaomi founder's wealth surged by RMB 196 billion, or 151 percent, compared to last year, making him the entrepreneur with the largest wealth increase on this year's list.
This marks Lei's second appearance in the top five of the Hurun China Rich List in a decade, following his 2015 ranking.
This is primarily due to the explosive growth of Xiaomi's EV business and the profit leap driven by its breakthrough in premium smartphones, according to Hurun's report.
In the first half of this year, Xiaomi's revenue reached RMB 227.2 billion, a 38 percent year-on-year increase, while net income hit RMB 21.5 billion, up 70 percent year-on-year.
Its automotive business emerged as a key growth engine, delivering 157,200 vehicles in the first half -- ranking among China's top five NEV makers -- and contributing RMB 21.3 billion in revenue.
Smartphone revenue reached RMB 96.1 billion in the first half, securing a 14.7 percent global market share and third place globally, though revenue saw a slight dip in the second quarter, the report noted.
"Who are the candidates for China Number One on future Hurun Rich Lists? Top are Robin Zeng of CATL and Lei Jun of Xiaomi, who have significant potential for further growth as NEVs and the era of robots mature,", said Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of Hurun.
Zeng, 57, founder, chairman, and CEO of CATL (HKG: 3750), ranked fourth on the latest list with a fortune of RMB 330 billion, climbing two spots from last year.
Zeng's personal wealth surged by RMB 130 billion, or 65 percent, primarily driven by sustained growth in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market.
In the automotive sector, 62-year-old Geely Holding Group chairman Eric Li re-entered the top ten with RMB 225 billion, ranking tenth and climbing one spot from last year.
Topping the list is 71-year-old Nongfu Spring founder Zhong Shanshan, who became China's richest person for the fourth time with RMB 530 billion.
($1 = RMB 7.1031)
