Joseph Lau Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Joseph Lau is a Hong Kong real-estate magnate best known for building a vast property empire and amassing one of Asia’s largest fortunes.

Introduction

Joseph Lau (born July 21, 1951) stands among Hong Kong’s most prominent billionaires, known for his commanding footprint in real estate, art collecting, and luxury lifestyle. With an estimated net worth of around US$13.6 billion, he has long attracted global attention for both his business acumen and his high-profile personal life. As of now, his relationships and family dynamics remain a subject of public interest — particularly his marriage to Kimbee Chan (née Chan Hoi-wan).

From Family Business to Real-Estate Powerhouse

Joseph Lau’s journey began in a modest manufacturing firm. After studying at the University of Windsor in Canada, he returned home in the mid-1970s to join his family’s electric-fan business.

In 1978, he founded Evergo Industrial Enterprise, and by 1982 the company had gone public. A few years later, he shifted its focus from manufacturing to property management and investment.

The real turning point came in 1986, when through Evergo Lau acquired a 43% stake in Chinese Estates Holdings — a move that laid the foundation for his empire.

Over the decades that followed, he steered Chinese Estates to develop high-profile commercial and residential properties across Hong Kong and beyond — cementing his status as one of Asia’s leading property tycoons.

Defining moments in Joseph Lau’s journey include:

• Founding Evergo Industrial Enterprise and taking it public.

• Acquiring majority share of Chinese Estates Holdings in 1986.

• Diversifying into property development and investment across Hong Kong (and mainland China).

• Launching landmark projects — including a major commercial complex that became a signature of his portfolio.

The Core Pillars of Joseph Lau’s Wealth

The wealth of Joseph Lau stems from several interwoven sources — mostly centered on real estate, but also extended through investments and collectibles. In short, his empire rests on properties, strategic holdings, and luxury assets.

Joseph Lau Relationships & Personal Life

Joseph Lau’s personal life has drawn public attention almost as much as his business success. His relationships, family structure, and legacy planning continue to fuel speculation and fascination.

• Lau was first married to Theresa Po Wing-kam in 1977; the marriage ended in 1992. They had two children together — a son and a daughter. 

• Over the years, he fathered additional children with other women. 

• In December 2016, he married Kimbee Chan Hoi-wan, a former journalist. Since then, Chan has reportedly played an active role in managing parts of Lau’s fortune, especially his art and asset collection.

• In 2017, citing health concerns, Lau declared that he had transferred much of his wealth to his wife and eldest son — a move widely seen as part of succession planning.

Key insights into Joseph Lau’s relationships and personal life:

• His marriage to Kimbee Chan appears to be more than symbolic — she is deeply involved in managing the family’s wealth and art investments. 

• Lau’s family structure is complex, with several children from different relationships — but he seems to manage succession carefully, splitting major assets among his heirs.

• Despite controversies and a conviction in Macau, Lau has maintained a private yet high-profile lifestyle, relying on wealth and discretion to keep family matters largely out of public scandal.

Beyond Business: Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond his real-estate empire, Joseph Lau is known for a luxurious lifestyle, as well as eclectic interests that reflect his tastes, passions, and status.

• He owns one of Hong Kong’s most expensive homes — a mansion on Goldsmith Road, Jardine’s Lookout — considered a symbol of elite status.

• His collection of art, wine, jewelry, and luxury items is extensive and valuable; notable pieces have fetched millions of dollars at auction.

• Over the years, he has auctioned assets such as handbags, rare wines, and paintings — turning luxury assets into liquid wealth.

• Reports indicate a lifestyle that blends extravagance with strategic investment — not merely ostentation, but deliberate management of assets for long-term legacy and influence.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

Valuing the fortune of someone like Joseph Lau involves both tangible assets (real estate, holdings) and more fluid ones (art, collectibles, investments). Below is a high-level breakdown of his wealth’s sources:

This diversified structure not only underscores the breadth of his wealth, but also provides flexibility — transforming illiquid assets into cash or reinvestments when needed.

Public Image, Legacy & Influence

Joseph Lau occupies a unique place in the public imagination. On one hand, he is respected for his business success and ability to create enormous value through real estate — shaping skyline, commerce, and property markets in Hong Kong. On the other hand, his legal troubles and fugitive status in Macau (after conviction for bribery and money laundering) cast a long shadow over his reputation. 

Despite controversies, Lau remains influential — not only because of his wealth but also due to his philanthropy, art patronage, and the legacy he is building for his family. His wife, Kimbee Chan, increasingly publicly represents the family’s interests, helping shape perceptions of stability and continuity. 

Lau’s story often reflects the paradoxes of wealth: dramatic success, cultural refinement, and public scrutiny all intertwined. For many, he represents both the allure and the risk of power — a symbol of what tremendous ambition and fortune can yield, but also what they can cost.

Conclusion

Joseph Lau’s name is enshrined among Hong Kong’s legendary real-estate tycoons. Born July 21, 1951, he transformed a family business into a vast empire, amassing an estimated US$13.6 billion fortune rooted in property, collectibles, and strategic investments. His marriage to Kimbee Chan and his intricate family structure speak to a carefully managed personal life — as complex as his assets.

Through luxury real estate, world-class art and wine collections, and a willingness to monetize when needed, Lau demonstrates a mastery of wealth — not just accumulation, but preservation and legacy building. His birthday — July 21 — marks the origin of a man whose journey from factory to skyscraper-defining developer remains one of Asia’s most compelling entrepreneurial sagas.

Despite legal shadows and public scrutiny, Lau’s influence endures — not just in buildings, but in the art he champions, the investments he crafts, and the legacy he continues to shape.