Zexi Investment's Xu Xiang: The self-made man with the Midas touch
The 37-year-old self-made billionaire, dubbed "China's Carl Icahn", was widely known for his swift and accurate short-term investment decisions that often led to high returns.
As the manager of hedge fund Zexi Investment - one of the most successful firms of its kind in the country - Xu generated 300 per cent gains for two of his funds this year, even as the mainland's stock market went into meltdown.
Born into a well-to-do family in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, Xu's interest in the stock market started in high school.
At 17, he skipped the university entrance exams and started investing in stocks, using tens of thousands of yuan from his parents as initial capital.
By the end of the 1990s, Xu was the most prominent hedge fund investor in Zhejiang.