Samuel Tak Lee
Samuel Tak Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Hong Kong |
| Education | Diocesan Boys' School; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BSc, MSc in Civil and Environmental Engineering); Harvard Business School (MBA) |
| Occupation(s) | Real estate developer, businessman |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Known for | Billionaire in the Hong Kong real estate sector |
| Notable work | Owner of Prudential Enterprise, Langham Estate in London, major shareholder of Shaftesbury plc |
| Children | 7 |
Samuel Tak Lee, also known as Lee Tak-Yee (; born April 1939), is a billionaire in the Hong Kong real estate sector.
Early life
Born in April 1939, Lee received his early education at Diocesan Boys' School located in Mong Kok. He pursued higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he completed both bachelor's and master's degrees in civil and environmental engineering by 1964. Subsequently, he obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Career
Following his academic achievements, Lee returned to Hong Kong to work with Prudential Enterprise, a property company established by his father and uncle in 1958. In 1985, he assumed leadership of the firm from his brother Lee Tak-Yan. Prudential Enterprise owns the Prudential Hotel in Hong Kong and possesses substantial real estate assets across Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland, and Singapore. In 1994, he purchased the 14-acre Langham Estate situated in London's Fitzrovia area. Lee developed a Tokyo real estate portfolio starting in 1999, which was later sold in 2017 for approximately $1.2 billion.
By 2019, Lee had become the largest shareholder of Shaftesbury plc, a prominent London-based real estate investment trust, holding a 26.3% ownership stake. There was speculation in the media about a potential bid by him to take control of Shaftesbury. Additionally, he initiated legal action against the company seeking £10.4 million over alleged losses tied to a share placement. In June 2020, his stake was sold at a discounted price to Capco for $544 million.
Lee has a reputation for assertively protecting his business interests and property rights. According to Forbes, his net worth was estimated at $3.6 billion as of January 2021.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Lee made a $9 million donation to Hong Kong's Diocesan Boys' School, where he had been a student from 1951 until 1958. This contribution supported the construction of a new dormitory to accommodate an increasing student population; at that time, one of Lee’s sons was enrolled at the school.
In 2015, Lee provided $118 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create a real estate entrepreneurship laboratory centered on China. The facility conducts research on urban challenges such as how poor air quality affects residents’ health, social interactions, and behaviors.
Personal life
Lee is married with seven children and splits his residency between Hong Kong and London. Reportedly, he owns the yachts Pelorus and Kogo, along with a Boeing aircraft and an extensive collection of automobiles.
Preferring privacy, Lee seldom discusses his business affairs publicly. Media coverage and legal documents reveal a complex personal background involving notable legal disputes. Among these is a high-profile divorce case involving his son Samathur Li Kin-kan, whose ex-wife was awarded HK$1.2 billion by a Hong Kong court.