Tsai Wan-lin
Tsai Wan-lin ( Chinese 蔡萬霖 , born November 10, 1924 in Miaoli , † September 27, 2004 in Taipei ) was a Chinese entrepreneur from Taiwan . He was the founder of the Lin Yuan Group, a banking and insurance company . Tsai was considered the richest man in the country. With an estimated personal fortune of 4.6 billion US dollars, he was number 94 on the list of the richest people of the US business magazine Forbes in 2004 .
Life
Tsai came from a poor farming background. Together with his brother Tsai Wan-tsai , he sold vegetables and soybeans as a child in Taipei. The family could not afford to attend high school.
Together with one of his brothers, Tsai joined a credit cooperative in 1960. Two years later, the two founded Cathay Life Insurance Company , which is now Taiwan's largest life insurance company. After the company management of Cathay Life was permanently secured within their own family, the two brothers founded the Lin Yuan Group in 1979. During the next ten years, the Lin Yuan Group expanded to become the largest corporation on the island.
The family's bank, insurance and venture capital company merged to form Cathay Financial Holdings in 2001 and are now Taiwan's largest financial holding company.
Tsai first appeared on the Forbes list as a billionaire in 1987. In 2000, he was appointed advisor to the President of the Republic of China. Tsai was married. His son is the entrepreneur Tsai Hong-tu .
Tsai died of heart disease on September 27, 2004 in Taipei's Cathay General Hospital at the age of 81. He founded the hospital himself in 1977.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Tsai Wan-lin |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Taiwanese entrepreneur |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 10, 1924 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Miaoli |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 27, 2004 |
| Place of death | Taipei |