John Marden, one of the last taipans, has died aged 80 at his home in Shek O.
Marden's exit in 1985 as chairman of the family firm, Wheelock Marden, owner of Lane Crawford, started one of the bitterest takeover battles of the decade.
It resulted in one of the pillars of the British establishment coming under the control of the late shipping magnate Sir Yue-kong Pao, having defeated Malaysian Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat in what was described at the time as 'a battle for the corporate soul of Hong Kong'.
Former acting governor Sir David Akers-Jones last night described Marden as 'the taipan among the taipans'.
'The Marden Foundation, which he formed with his wife, Anne, has made a great contribution in charity work for Hong Kong,' Sir David said.
Marden, son of George Marden, a former Chinese Maritime Customs officer and businessman, was educated in Shanghai and England, graduating from Cambridge in economics and law.