Chen Tianqiao

Chen Tianqiao
Born	1973 Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province, China
Occupation	Entrepreneur
Known for	Founder of Shanda Group

Chen Tianqiao (; born 1973) is a Chinese entrepreneur and the founder of Shanda Group.

Early life and education

Originating from Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province, Chen was raised near Shanghai alongside his younger brother, Danian. His father worked as an engineer while his mother taught English. In 1993, he completed a bachelor's degree in economics at Fudan University.

Career

Chen launched his professional journey in 1994 at the state-owned Shanghai Lujiazui Group, where he progressed into management positions. In 1998, he transitioned to Kinghing Trust & Investment, serving as vice director of the president’s office before resigning in 1999.

That same year, Chen established the online gaming enterprise Shanda together with family members. By 2004, Shanda had risen to become the largest Internet company in China by market value. In recognition of his success, Chen was ranked second on the Hurun Report wealth list, honored as a "Rising Business Star" by China Central Television, and included in the MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 list.

In 2012, Shanda Group was taken private, with Chen and his family maintaining a 57% ownership share. Three years later, as head of Shanda Asset Management, Chen purchased more than 80,000 hectares of land in Oregon for $85 million, making him one of the largest foreign landowners in the United States.

Following the sale of their stakes in Shanda Games in November 2014, Chen redirected Shanda Group's strategy toward investment activities. By early 2017, under Chen’s guidance as chairman and CEO, Shanda held majority interests in companies such as Legg Mason, Lending Club, and Community Health Systems, managed real estate ventures across China and North America, and owned shares in firms including Sotheby's. That year, Shanda divested from Sotheby's and Legg Mason, with Chen subsequently stepping down from Legg Mason’s board. Additionally, he has invested in venture capital funds like Propel(x) and Ubiquity Ventures.

Chen's wealth placed him on multiple rich lists; in 2017, his net worth was estimated at $4 billion, ranking him as the 93rd wealthiest individual in China according to the Hurun Report. In 2018, he acquired 500,000 acres of land in Ontario. The same year, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award as Tech Entrepreneur by the Committee of 100.

Politics

At age 18, Chen became a member of the Chinese Communist Party and served on the central committee of Shanghai’s Communist Youth League. He was appointed to the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in 2008 and reappointed to its 12th Committee in 2013 before resigning from the CPPCC in 2018.

Boards

Chen holds the position of chairman at Shanda Group and sits on the boards of several portfolio companies.

Personal life

Chen is married to Qianqian "Chrissy" Luo. The couple moved from Shanghai to Singapore in 2009 before relocating to California's Bay Area toward the end of 2017. They currently live in Menlo Park, California. In 2018, Chen purchased a historic mansion on East 69th Street in Manhattan for $39 million; this residence was originally constructed for Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt in 1881.