Barry Lam

Barry Lam
Born	(1949-04-24) April 24, 1949 Shanghai
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Arts patron
Known for	Founder and chairman of Quanta Computer

Lin Pai‑li (; born 24 April 1949), widely recognized as Barry Lam, is a Taiwanese billionaire entrepreneur, best known as the founder and chairman of Quanta Computer. Beyond his business achievements, he is an influential supporter of the arts and a dedicated philanthropist in cultural and educational initiatives. As of 2021, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index valued his fortune at approximately $5.98 billion.

Life and career

Born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong, Barry Lam's father was employed as an accountant at the Hong Kong Club. Lam completed his undergraduate studies in 1970 and later obtained a master's degree in electrical engineering from National Taiwan University. In 1973, he co-established a company specializing in handheld calculators, which eventually became the largest contract manufacturer in that sector.

Recognizing the potential rise of notebook computers in the late 1980s, Lam departed from Kinpo to found Quanta Computer in 1988 alongside C. C. Leung, launching the venture with less than US$900,000 in capital. By 2007, Quanta's revenue had surged to NT$777 billion (US$23.7 billion).

In 2006, Quanta was positioned at 454th on the Fortune Global 500 list and ranked 15th on Forbes' 2007 compilation of the world's most admired computer companies—the highest placement achieved by any Taiwanese enterprise. The company designs and manufactures notebooks for leading clients such as Apple Inc., Dell, HP, Lenovo, Sony, and Toshiba. Quanta holds the distinction of being the world's largest producer of PC notebooks and has diversified its portfolio to include servers, storage solutions, and LCD terminals.

Quanta

At Quanta’s headquarters in Taiwan, Lam founded the Quanta Research and Development Center, fostering partnerships with institutions including MIT, National Taiwan University, and Academia Sinica to pioneer next-generation technological products.

MIT Project T-Party

In 2005, Lam collaborated with MIT through Project T-Party, a five-year research endeavor aimed at developing innovative computing and communication platforms with an emphasis on new interface designs and information management techniques.

One Laptop per Child

Lam positioned Quanta as the original design manufacturer (ODM) for the OLPC XO-1 under the One Laptop per Child initiative. By early 2007, Quanta had secured orders for one million units. This project aligned with Quanta's application of the Blue Ocean Strategy, focusing on untapped market opportunities.

Arts patronage and philanthropy

A significant figure in Taiwan’s art community, Lam possesses a collection exceeding 1,000 artworks, including over 250 pieces by renowned artist Zhang Daqian. He sponsors the Zhang Daqian Museum and has incorporated a Museum of Art and Technology within Quanta’s corporate headquarters.

He holds the chairmanship of the Advisory Committee of Taipei’s National Palace Museum, which houses the world’s largest assemblage of Chinese cultural relics. Furthermore, he leads the Contemporary Art Foundation responsible for overseeing MoCA Taipei.

Lam also serves as director of the Cloud Gate Dance Theater, Taiwan’s premier modern dance troupe known for international performances such as those at New York’s Guggenheim Museum.

As founder and chairman of the Quanta Cultural and Educational Foundation, he champions cultural enrichment and education by organizing free exhibitions and programs across more than 291 schools, impacting upwards of 1.3 million young people. The foundation has been honored multiple times with Wen Hsin Golden Awards from Taiwan’s Council for Cultural Affairs.

In 2002, Lam financed the establishment of a new College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at National Taiwan University, named Barry Lam Hall. Opened in 2004, it features the Barry Lam Art Gallery.

He also chairs the Dwen An Social Welfare Foundation, which receives support from prominent Taiwanese business figures.

From 2011 until 2018, Lam was Chairman of the China Exploration & Research Society (CERS), a Hong Kong-based nonprofit dedicated to exploration, research, conservation, and educational efforts in remote regions of East and Southeast Asia; he had served as a director since 2000.

Honors

• 2019 Awarded First Class Medal in Science and Technology by the Ministry of Science and Technology
• 2012 Conferred Honorary Doctorate by National Tsing Hua University
• 2007 Received Honorary Doctorate from National Taiwan University
• 2005 Bestowed Honorary Doctorate in Technology by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• 2006 Honored with Second Class Bright Star Medal from the Taiwan Government
• 2006 and 2002 Recipient of the Wen Hsin Silver Award for exceptional contributions to social education, Council of Cultural Affairs, Taiwan
• 2005 Named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young
• 2002 Recognized as one of '25 Managers of the Year' by Business Week Magazine
• 2001 and 1999 Featured among 'The Stars of Asia' by Business Week Magazine