Zhang Shiping

Zhang Shiping (25 November 1946 – 23 May 2019) and was dubbed China's "Aluminum King". On 23 May 2019, Zhang died of an unspecified illness, according to the official announcement of his hometown, Zouping county in Shandong province.

In 1981, when Zhang was 35, he was promoted to general manager of Zuoping's No. 5 Cotton Ginning plant. In 1994, he and other managers established their own cotton-processing business called Weiqiao Textile Co. It later became the world's largest cotton-yarn and denim maker and was listed in Hong Kong in 2003. Zhang decided to move to the aluminum industry. The move led to an aggressive expansion of the company, and the company was later renamed China Hongqiao Group Ltd. Hongqiao surpassed Russian titan United Co. Rusal and China's SOE Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. to become the largest producer in the world and was listed in Hong Kong in 2011. According to Forbes estimates, Zhang's net worth is $4.7 billion, ranking 484th in Forbes Billionaires 2019 list.