Kwok Tak-Seng (1911-1990) was a Chinese

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 entrepreneur

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

 and the founder

Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

 of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

.

Life

Born in Zhongshan

Zhongshan

Zhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was...

, Guangdong

Guangdong

Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...

, China, Kwok emigrated to Hong Kong after WWII

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. He partnered with Fung King Hey

Fung King Hey

Fung King Hey , was born in Guangzhou, mainland China. He is one of the founders of Sun Hung Kai & Co. and was reputed as “King of securities world” and “Godfather of the stock market”...

 and Lee Shau Kee

Lee Shau Kee

Lee Shau-kee GBM is a property developer and majority owner of Henderson Land Development , a property conglomerate with interests in properties, hotels, restaurants and internet services...

 to establish Sun Hung Kai Properties in 1958. SHK Properties was publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1972 and soon became one of the top companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Hong Kong Stock Exchange

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in Hong Kong. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and fifth largest in the world...

 by market capitalisation.

Kwok married Kwong Siu-hing and the couple had three sons: Walter Kwok

Walter Kwok

Kwok Ping-sheung, Walter JP is the eldest son of Kwok Tak Seng and Kwong Siu-hing...

, Thomas Kwok

Thomas Kwok

Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong , SBS, JP is the joint-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong, with his brother Raymond Kwok....

 and Raymond Kwok

Raymond Kwok

Raymond Kwok Ping Luen , JP is the vice-chairman and managing director of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong. He is the chairman of SUNeVision Holdings Ltd. and SmarTone Telecommunications Holdings Limited...

, all four of whom remain powerful business figures in Hong Kong.

Successsion

Kwok died of a heart attack on 30 October 1990 at the age of 79. He was succeeded as chairman of Sun Hung Kai by his eldest son, Walter. In 2008, after a very public intra-family tussle, his wife Kwong Siu-hing became chairman.