Tiong Hiew King

Tapped rubber in his teenage years to support his family before building his fortune from timber concessions and palm oil plantations in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Referred to as Asia's Rupert Murdoch, he owns Media Chinese International which publishes more than 30 magazines and newspapers in North America, Southeast Asia and China. Sale of his stake in EON Capital, one of Malaysia's smaller banks, to fellow billionaire Quek Leng Chan's (No.219) Hong Leong Bank is pending a court case filed by a dissenting shareholder. Mr. Tiong was appointed as a Senator of the Malaysia Parliament from 1985 to 1991 in Malaysia and was conferred the title of “Tan Sri” by the King of Malaysia. He was knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom in recognition of his services to commerce, community, and charitable organizations in June 2009.