Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou and the rich Chinese daughters following in their father’s corporate footsteps

Previously low-profile chief financial officer is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, founder of the Chinese telecommunications giant

Country Garden cochairwoman Yang Huiyan and New Hope Liuhe chairwoman Liu Chang are among those climbing the corporate ladder in mainland companies

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Published: 7:00am, 15 Dec 2018Updated: 9:34pm, 15 Dec 2018

Meng Wanzhou’s arrest in Canada has turned the Huawei chief financial officer from a low-profile executive into a globally recognised face, drawing attention to an emerging group of rich and powerful daughters in the Chinese business world.

Before being imprisoned in Vancouver at the US’ request earlier this month, a move that infuriated Beijing and set off a diplomatic row between China and Canada, the 46-year-old daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei had kept an exceptionally low profile.

Meng – also known as Sabrina Meng – has been working for the family business for around 25 years, climbing the corporate ladder along with Huawei’s phenomenal expansion, but there was previously little information about her apart from a brief official profile and a small number of photos.

But after Meng’s arrest at Vancouver International Airport on December 1, subsequent court hearing and release on C$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail, information about her marriage, children, passports and the value of her properties in Vancouver were thrust into the public domain, shedding light on the lifestyle of Chinese women in line to run vast business empires created by their fathers.

Sabrina Meng Wanzhou has been ordered to wear a GPS ankle bracelet, submit to the 24-hour supervision of a private security firm, and surrender her two Hong Kong and Chinese passports. Photo: AP

Meng did not appear on the list of the top 50 richest women compiled by the Hurun Report this year, largely because information about Huawei’s valuation and ownership structure remains private, offering little about her net worth.

Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou and the rich Chinese daughters following in their father’s corporate footsteps

Previously low-profile chief financial officer is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, founder of the Chinese telecommunications giant Country Garden cochairwoman Yang Huiyan and New Hope Liuhe chairwoman Liu Chang are among those climbing the corporate ladder in mainland companies

Previously low-profile chief financial officer is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, founder of the Chinese telecommunications giant

Country Garden cochairwoman Yang Huiyan and New Hope Liuhe chairwoman Liu Chang are among those climbing the corporate ladder in mainland companies