Roland 'Tiny' Rowland, multi-millionaire and the man once famously described by former British prime minister Edward Heath as the 'unacceptable face of capitalism', has died aged 80, after losing a long struggle against skin cancer.
The creator of the giant mining-to-oil group Lonrho, whose links with African leaders were so impeccable that Britain's secret service once reportedly said that he had better contacts in Africa than they did, was regarded as one of the most controversial of businessmen since World War II.
Rowland's life peppered the gossip columns and the serious pages of the world's newspapers. Tales abounded of suspect dealings in Africa, media manipulation through his ownership of Britain's The Observer newspaper, and a long-running feud over the ownership of Harrods - one of the world's most famous department stores - which was to see him to his death.
His critics were everywhere, but, for the more than 30 years he built up Lonrho, his shareholders benefited from substantial returns on their capital.
Lonrho, formerly known as the Rhodesian Mining Co, was transformed from a small farming and mining combine to a giant conglomerate with exposure to Africa's vast natural mineral reserves and interests in agriculture, motor franchises and oil pipelines.
The business generated a personal fortune estimated at GBP150 million (about HK$1.93 billion) and saw Rowland take control of the textiles group Brentford Nylons, the Metropole Hotels chain and The Observer newspaper until 1993.