Ding Lei
Ding Lei | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 1, 1971 Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China |
| Other names | William Ding |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, CEO |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of NetEase |
Ding Lei (; born October 1, 1971; also referred to as William Ding) is a prominent Chinese billionaire entrepreneur, known as the founder and chief executive officer of NetEase.
He has been instrumental in advancing computer networking infrastructure across mainland China. Towards the end of 2016, Ding ventured into the real estate market, conducting visits to Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom for potential investments. By May 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index valued his fortune at approximately $38.9 billion.
Early life
Originating from Fenghua, Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province, China, Ding completed his undergraduate education at the Chengdu Institute of Radio Engineering (currently known as the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China), earning a bachelor's degree specializing in telecommunications engineering.
Career
Following his graduation, Ding began his professional journey as an engineer within a government department in Ningbo before joining Sybase in Guangzhou. He went on to establish NetEase and by 2003 had become the wealthiest person in mainland China with a net valuation of 7.6 billion yuan, marking him as the nation's inaugural internet and gaming billionaire. The Hurun Report in 2013 appraised his net worth at $5.2 billion.
In 2012, Ding expanded NetEase’s portfolio by entering pork production; however, this initiative emphasized technological innovation and ecological sustainability rather than becoming a central business focus.
In May 2017, a combined investment totaling US$23 million was made into the company by venture capital entity Sinovation Ventures, alongside US-based Meituan-Dianping and JD.com, a competitor to Alibaba.
In June 2020, Ding purchased a 16,000-square-foot residence located in Bel Air, Los Angeles for US$29 million, acquiring it from Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX.
External links
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- 1971 births
- 21st-century Chinese businesspeople
- Billionaires from Zhejiang
- Businesspeople from Ningbo
- Chinese technology company founders
- Living people
- Members of the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
- NetEase people
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China alumni