Peter Woo Kwong-ching, GBM, GBS, JP (Chinese:吳光正) (born 1946) is a Hong Kong businessman. He was the chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited (SEHK: 0020)and The Wharf Holdings Limited (SEHK: 0004) until 19 May 2015.
Education
Woo was born in Shanghai, China and moved to Hong Kong in 1949. He was educated at St Stephen’s College, a Direct Subsidy Scheme privately owned but government-funded boarding school (which is also Hong Kong’s largest secondary school), in the town of Stanley in Hong Kong, and went on to attain his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati, US, majoring in Physics and Mathematics. While a student at the University of Cincinnati, Woo became a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, an endeavour he is still involved in today. He later obtained an MBA from Columbia Business School in New York, USA.
Life and career
After graduating, Woo worked at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York and Hong Kong.
In 1973, he married Bessie Pao. In 1975, he joined his father-in-law, the late Sir Yue-Kong Pao’s Worldwide Shipping Group and was later appointed vice-chairman for the company. In 1986, Woo’s father-in-law retired and appointed him the head of the Wheelock / Wharf businesses, while putting the shipping interests (now Bergesen Worldwide) under the control of another son-in-law, Helmut Sohmen.
Woo’s diversified interests are reflected in his businesses, focusing in real estate development in Hong Kong, China and Singapore. The group owns several investment properties such as Harbour City and Times Square in Hong Kong, as well as operating other businesses such as i-Cable Communications, Wharf New T&T, Modern Terminals Limited and Marco Polo Hotels. Woo also owns the privately held, high-end luxury retail group LCJG, which includes Lane Crawford and the premier fashion house, Joyce. Woo also serves on the advisory board for various Fortune 500 companies.
Peter Woo net worth: Peter Woo is a Hong Kong-based businessman who has a net worth of $13 billion. Peter Woo has accumulated most of his wealth as the Chairman of Wheelock & Company Limited and The Wharf Holdings Limited, which contains his main real estate, investment, logistics and media businesses. As for Wheelock & Co, he manages the company through his 59.8% stake. Among notable prizes in Wharf’s property portfolio are New York City’s Times Square (the top venue for the New Year’s Eve) and Kowloon’s Harbour City. Furthermore, he owns a minority stake in Salvatore Ferragamo and 73% of fashion retailer Joyce Boutique. Thanks to his business commitment, he was named “Leader of the Year” by the Hong Kong Standard in 1995. Apart from being one of the notable Hong Kong’s businessmen, he is currently a married man with three children.
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