He Youjun
Mario Ho (born 12 January 1995) is the Chief Marketing Officer of iDreamSky Technology Holdings Limited, the fourth son of Macau "Casino King" Ho Hung Sun and his fourth wife Angela Leong.[1] He is President of the Macau Esports Association[2] and Chairman and Co-CEO of NIP Group.[3] In January 2023, he was appointed a member of the 13th Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Hubei Province.[4] In July 2023, he was named to the "Fortune China 40 Under 40 Business Elites."[5] In April 2024, he was selected for the "2024 Forbes China Decisive Pioneers." [6] On July 26, 2024, at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, NIP Group was listed on the NASDAQ with the ticker “NIPG” at $9 per ADS, becoming the first publicly listed Chinese esports company.[7]
Life
Education
He attended Pun U Association Wah Yan Primary School. In Grade 6, he won awards in the "World Mathematics Test" for two consecutive years. His parents Ho Hung Sun and Angela Leong were the award presenters. During his speech, Ho Hung Sun expressed pride: "Just like all the other parents, I’m proud of my son’s achievement."[8] At age 18, Mario was accepted by both Cambridge and MIT. He chose MIT and completed a four-year program in just three years.[9] He gained public recognition through frequent appearances on mainland Chinese variety shows.[10]
Family
On May 13, 2019, Mario Ho proposed to supermodel Ming Xi with 99,999 roses at Shanghai’s Shanghai ICC Mall (owned by his mother Angela Leong), renting three floors.[11][12]
On October 24, 2019, the couple announced the birth of their son Ho Kwong San (Ronaldo), the first male grandchild of Ho Hung Sun.[13]
On May 9, 2021 (Mother’s Day), Ming Xi announced her second pregnancy. In November of the same year, they welcomed a daughter named Romee Ho.
Entrepreneurship
On April 15, 2018, the Macau Esports Association held its inauguration ceremony, where Mario Ho was elected as the first president.[14]
On September 7, 2020, a press conference in China announced a crossover partnership between Mario Ho’s esports team and GOT7 member Jackson Wang.
On January 10, 2023, Mario Ho was appointed Chairman and Co-CEO of NIP Group, which merged with Swedish esports club Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) via equity swap.
On July 26, 2024, at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, NIP Group was listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol “NIPG,” priced at $9/ADS. Mario Ho, as founder and CEO, held a 14.2% stake, becoming the youngest Asian founder of a NASDAQ-listed company. He stated that his startup journey was independent of family support.
Major Roles
- Chairman and Co-CEO of NIP Group (current)
- President of Macau Esports Association (current)
- Member, 13th Committee of CPPCC Hubei Province (current)
Views and Controversies
Graffiti in World Heritage Site
In 2018, during filming of the reality show *Time Difference of Love*, Mario Ho graffitied a wall in "Lover's Lane" below the Ruins of St. Paul’s in Macau to express love to Ming Xi. After the episode aired in 2019, public criticism led to his apology on Instagram. Macau Tourism Office noted it harmed the city's image, prompting legal review. The Cultural Affairs Bureau later clarified the wall was privately owned and not classified as a monument, although it fell within a World Heritage buffer zone. The decision to pursue legal action rested with the property owner.
First Grandson Controversy
After the birth of the first male grandchild, rumors spread of a nine-digit cash gift from Ho Hung Sun. Some accused the couple of fighting for inheritance. Mario Ho denied this, stating his son was not born for inheritance and that his father had already divided his estate when Mario was 15.
Social Media Controversy
After his father’s death, Mario Ho was criticized for using emojis in tribute posts. He explained he had been crying at the time. Addressing accusations of "buying search rankings," he challenged accusers to provide proof, offering to give away his company if found guilty.
References
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-1
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-2
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-3
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-4
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-5
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-6
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-7
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-8
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-9
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-10
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-11
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-12
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-13
- ↑ https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BD%95%E7%8C%B7%E5%90%9B#cite_ref-14