Guo Guangchang on Economic Moats

In the period following his 2015 detention, Guo Guangchang indicated publicly that he remained actively engaged in leading Fosun and had not contemplated stepping back from the business, a stance that framed his continued operational involvement.

Since 1994, Guo has served as chairman of Fosun Group, which diversified into insurance, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, property, steel, mining, retail, services, finance, and asset management, growing into one of China's largest non-state-owned enterprises with over 74,000 employees; Fosun International (the group's holding company) listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007.

Fosun pursued an aggressive overseas dealmaking strategy, investing in Club Med of France, insurance company Fidelidade Seguros of Portugal, and Folli Follie of Greece, among others, to capture opportunities linked to China's economic growth.

Fosun International grew into one of China's largest privately held conglomerates, with a market value reported at HK$157.4 billion (approximately US$20.17 billion) as of the November 2017 Reuters report.