China Vanke

In 1984, in the burgeoning city of Shenzhen, a former civil servant and army veteran named Wang Shi founded a small trading company. Initially, it dealt in everything from office equipment to video recorders, a diverse portfolio that reflected the anything-is-possible attitude of early modern China. But a few years later, in 1988, Wang Shi made a decisive pivot that would alter the company's trajectory forever: he entered the real estate market. This new venture, named China Vanke, quickly found its footing. The company's focus was clear: build quality, affordable homes for China's rising middle class. This straightforward strategy, executed at a massive scale, was the right product for the time. In 1991, Vanke became the second company to list on the newly established Shenzhen Stock Exchange, a landmark event that provided the capital for its immense growth. For decades, Vanke grew to become one of the world's largest residential developers. However, in 2015, the company faced its most significant challenge: a hostile takeover attempt. A lesser-known conglomerate, the Baoneng Group, began acquiring a massive stake, threatening to oust Wang Shi and the management team. The very public battle lasted for nearly two years. The struggle concluded when a state-owned enterprise, the Shenzhen Metro Group, intervened as a "white knight" investor, becoming Vanke's largest shareholder in 2017 and preserving the company's operational stability.