Mao Zhongwu

One of four board members from equipment manufacturer Sany Group to make this year's billionaires list, along with Liang Wengen, Tang Xiugo and Xiang Wenbo. Granted the honorary title of "Pioneering Star" by a research body of China's Cabinet, Mao was a co-founder of Sany with Liang, Tang and Yuan Jinhua when it was founded as a welding materials supplier in 1989. All are still active at Sany Group. Once a union leader, Mao has studied management at the National University of Singapore in 1999.