17-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
The Chinese chemists turning science into fortunes
Fan Daidi, a 59-year-old chemistry professor turned billionaire entrepreneur, epitomises China's booming chemical
sciences sector.
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As dean of Northwest University's chemical engineering school in Xian, Fan has amassed a fortune by commercialising innovations in
collagen synthesis , catapulting her
skincare enterprise
Giant Biogene to a 75 billion yuan (US$10.4 billion) valuation.
Fan's ascent – from pioneering lab discoveries to leading a biomedical empire – highlights how state-backed scientific industrialisation is minting a new generation of academic tycoons.
According to a report by Shenzhen-based New Fortune magazine on May 9, Fan and her husband Yan Jianya's combined holdings are estimated to be valued at more than 40 billion yuan.
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The couple own two major companies – Giant Biogene and XiAn Triangle Defence – which operate in the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries, respectively.
