In the heart of bustling Hong Kong, Li Ka-shing is preparing to make one of the biggest decisions of his career.
At this critical juncture, his eldest granddaughter, Li Side, a young girl who has almost never been seen in public, is about to be in the spotlight.
As Li Ka-shing's granddaughter, why did she remain unknown for the previous 22 years?
After graduating from Chinese International School in Hong Kong, Lee embarked on a journey to the United Kingdom for further study.
She chose Dickson Pan's Law School at King's College London, an institution with a strong reputation in the field of legal education.
Although her admission was influenced by her illustrious family background, it was more due to her own academic achievements and personal efforts.
At King's College London, Lee joins a multicultural learning environment where talented students from all over the world come together.
Her courses cover a wide range of areas of law, including commercial law, international law, and intellectual property law, which are areas of particular interest to her.
In addition to her regular coursework, she actively participates in various moot court and legal debate competitions organized by the Academy.
The law school's library became a frequent place for Lee. She often spends the afternoon there, researching various cases and legal literature.
These studies not only helped her prepare for exams, but also made her more proficient in practical legal applications. Her efforts were quickly recognized and she became the best in law school.
Lee's performance at the Academy is not limited to academic excellence, she has also shown leadership skills in a team.
In an important team project, she took on the role of team leader, leading the team to complete a study on the legal risks of multinational corporations.
This project has successfully demonstrated not only her deep understanding of complex legal issues, but also how she effectively manages and motivates her team members.
In addition to academic and team projects, Lee is active in various societies and organizations at the college. She joined the Law Students' Union, where she initiated a series of lectures and seminars, inviting a number of well-known legal experts and practitioners to share their experiences with the school.
Lee's life doesn't revolve entirely around his studies and legal practice. During her time in London, she also developed her personal hobbies, especially swordsmanship and archery.
These sports activities are not only a way for her to relax, but also a stage for her to showcase her talents and competitive spirit.
She regularly participates in archery competitions organized by the academy and other clubs, and has also appeared in several local fencing competitions.
Leeside's archery training usually takes place in the college's gymnasium, which has a shooting range designed specifically for archery. Whenever she draws her bow and aims, she always shows great concentration and precision.
In archery competitions, she has won multiple championships and other awards, and these victories have earned her recognition and respect both on and off campus.
In an important competition she participated in, she successfully hit multiple consecutive bullseyes and won bursts of applause and appreciation from the audience.
In addition, Li Side also showed extraordinary skills in swordsmanship. Her Kendo Club is an active organization in the academy, and she not only trains actively, but also regularly participates in various exhibitions and competitions on weekends.
Sword training often involves one-on-one sparring and team battles, and she demonstrates excellent strategic thinking and physical coordination in these challenges.
In a sword duel, Lee won the tournament with quick and precise movements, and her performance made her famous in the fencing community.
Despite her academic and athletic achievements, Lee has maintained a rigorous training schedule.
She usually finishes her academic studies in the morning and then heads to the gymnasium in the afternoon for long fencing or archery training.
On the training ground, her interactions with her coach and other teammates are filled with an atmosphere of respect and learning.
She often discusses the possibility of technical improvement with her coaches and shares her experience and tips with her teammates.
Although she was the eldest granddaughter of Li Ka-shing, one of Asia's richest businessmen, she lived an extremely simple lifestyle.
From childhood to adulthood, Li Side's education and life were carried out in strict monitoring and protection, and her outing activities were always accompanied by the strict protection of bodyguards, but this life did not make her form any sense of superiority.
On campus, Li Side's performance has been consistent, and she has earned the respect of her teachers and classmates with her excellent grades and low-key personality.
She never flaunts her family background at school, and even rarely talks about her family in her interactions with her classmates.
This conservative attitude left her classmates with little knowledge of her true identity, so much so that her real name was misunderstood by both the media and the public.
Lee's daily life is largely austere. Her choice of clothes is simple and functional, far from luxury brands, and her focus on fashion is far less than her dedication to her studies.
Outside of her studies, she doesn't go to high-end shopping malls or expensive restaurants, preferring to eat with her classmates in the school cafeteria or in small restaurants around campus.
This behavior, which is no different from that of a regular student, reduces the unnecessary attention that she may have attracted due to her family background.
Although Lee's life may seem ordinary, her loyalty and respect for her family remain the same.
Her respect for her grandfather Li Ka-shing is shown in every little detail, whether in public or in private, she strictly adheres to his grandfather's instructions and suggestions.
Even when choosing an academic direction or participating in family activities, Li Side always considers his grandfather's opinion first, and her actions and choices are closely centered on a sense of responsibility to the family.
In the world of social media, there is almost no trace of Leeside.
In this era of information explosion, it is particularly rare to maintain such a low-key social state. She didn't sign up for any social media accounts, and her life wasn't constantly updated with status and pictures.
This extreme protection of privacy not only protects her personal life, but also protects her family from unnecessary public attention and discussion.
In Li Ka-shing's eyes, Li Side's low-key, steady, and respect and loyalty to the family are important reasons why she surpasses his two sons.
His trust in Lee is based on her deep understanding of family values and her ability to take on family responsibilities.
Therefore, when it came time to decide on the future successor of the family's wealth and business, Li Ka-shing did not hesitate to choose Li Side, the eldest granddaughter who is little known in the public eye but is extremely trusted in the family.
In addition, the kidnapping case that Li Ka-shing's family has experienced is also one of the important reasons why Li Ka-shing keeps this granddaughter low-key.
When Lee returned to Hong Kong after completing her legal education in the UK, her life and career trajectory changed significantly.
As the third generation of the Li Ka-shing family, her return not only marks the completion of her studies, but also heralds an upcoming role in the family business.
In the year following Li Side's return to China, Li Ka-shing carefully arranged a series of activities and introductions to officially introduce her to the public eye, which was also her public appearance as a future family leader.
Li Ka-shing chose to formally introduce Li to the outside world at a large business meeting shortly after his return. At this conference, many industry leaders and media focused on the young heir.
Part of the conference was specially arranged for the "Future Leadership Showcase", in which Li Ka-shing publicly expressed his expectations for Lee's future role for the first time.
In the months that followed, Lee became involved in many aspects of the family business, including strategic planning meetings and important business decisions.
Her involvement was not limited to learning and observation, and she gradually began to express her opinions in business meetings and negotiations, especially in areas related to law and international business.
In addition, it is reported that shortly after Li Side returned from abroad, he was designated as the main beneficiary of the family trust fund, which is valued at as much as 70 billion yuan.
This move is not only a recognition of her abilities, but also a formal affirmation of her role in the family.
The management and operation of the fund required her to have a deep understanding of economic trends and precise judgment, and she began to work closely with the family's financial advisors and management team to develop investment strategies and financial management plans.
Since she took over the management of the trust, he has been involved in a number of major investment decisions, including new investments in technology and sustainable energy.
These decisions not only reflect the family's expansion into new areas, but also demonstrate LEESIDE's sensitivity and adaptability to modern business trends.
Despite coming from a family with huge assets, Lee's life was extremely simple. Nowhere is this more evident than in her daily life choices.
For example, despite choosing clothing and accessories from the world's top brands, Lee often wears simple clothes, and her style of dress is often unpretentious, leaning more towards functionality than luxury.
Among Lee's daily necessities, her watches are the ones that best reflect her simple philosophy of life.
Unlike many billionaire family members who wear expensive watches, she chose an ordinary watch on the market, which is of reliable quality but affordable.
This lifestyle of Lee Side is also reflected in the public arena. At multiple business events and public meetings, she is often portrayed as low-key and professional, which contrasts with the importance of the business responsibilities she undertakes.
Even on such high-profile occasions, her outfits and embellishments are never overly ostentatious, always showing her simplicity and practical style.
HE Li, YAN Ziwei, WEI Jingzhe.Li Ka-shing Moves Home Wealth[J].21st Century Business Review,2023(6):8-9