Chen Tianqiao (Chinese: 陈天桥; pinyin: Chén Tiānqiáo); born 1973)^[1] is a Chinese^[2] businessman.^[3][4][5][6] His wealth is estimated at US$4 billion.^[7] Chen moved from Shanghai^[8] to Singapore in 2009^[1] and then to the Bay Area, California in 2017.^[9] He co-founded the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute in 2016.^[1]

A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (January 2024)

Quick Facts Born, Alma mater ...

Chen Tianqiao
陈天桥
Chen in 2015
Born	1973 (age 50–51) Xinchang County, Zhejiang, China
Alma mater	Fudan University
Occupation(s)	Co-founder of Shanda Group and Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute
Organization(s)	Member of the 11th and 12th National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Spouse	Chrissy Luo

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Chen was born in 1973^[1] in a city in the Zhejiang Province, China.^[10] With his father working as an engineer and his mother teaching middle school English, Chen and his younger brother Danian grew up near Shanghai. In 1993^[6] He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Fudan University.^[8]

Chen joined the state-run property developer Shanghai Lujiazui Group in 1994, holding management positions^[8] in the public relations office and also secretary of the chairman.^[6] In 1998 he became vice director of the office of the president of Kinghing Trust & Investment.^[8] Chen resigned from this role in 1999.^[6]

He started Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited as an online games company with his family in 1999.^[3][6]

The company became the largest Internet company in China by market capitalization in 2004.^[11] In 2004 Chen was second on China's Hurun Review rich list.^[12]

China Central Television voted him their leading "Rising Business Star".^[10] He was put on the 100 Innovators Under 35 list put out by the MIT Technology Review.^[13]

Shanda Group went private in early 2012, with Chen, his wife, and his brother keeping a combined 57% stake.^[6] In 2015, Chen, as the beneficial owner of Shanda Asset Management, acquired over 80,127 hectares of land in Oregon from Fidelity National Financial for US$85 million, making him one of the largest foreign owners of land in the United States.^[14][15]

Tianqiao Chen and his family sold all their stakes in Shanda Games in November 2014,^{[citation needed]} after which Shanda Group refocused on investing.^[10]

With Chen remaining chairman^[5] and CEO, by early 2017 Shanda Group was the majority shareholder of Legg Mason, Lending Club,^[2] and Community Health Systems.^[16][17] It also had property operations in China and North America^[2] and stakes in companies such as Sotheby's. Shanda sold its stakes in Sotheby's in 2017^[3] and then it sold its stake Legg Mason later that year, and then Chen resigned as vice-chairman of the Legg Mason board.^[4] Chen has invested in the venture funds Propel(x) and Ubiquity Ventures.^[18]

Ranked on various rich lists,^[8][19] Chen personally had $4 billion in net value in 2017 and was ranked as the 93rd richest person in China, according to the Hurun Report.^[7][20]

In 2018, Chen purchased 500,000 acres in Ontario.^[21] The same year, the Committee of 100 gave Chen an award for Lifetime Achievement as Tech Entrepreneur.^[22]

According to China Youth Daily, Chen joined the Chinese Communist Party at age 18 and was elected to the central committee of Communist Youth League of China in Shanghai.^[23] In 2008, Chen was appointed to the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).^[24][25] In 2013, Chen was appointed to the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC.^[26][27]

Chen is chairman of the Shanda Group,^[5] and is also on the boards of various portfolio companies.^[4][28] Chen is married to Qianqian "Chrissy" Luo ^[6] who in 2022 joined the Board of Governors of the Huntington Library and Gardens^[29] and the Board of Trustees of the California Academy of Sciences.^[30] She is also a member of the China Leadership Board at the 21st Century China Center at University of California, San Diego.^[31]

Chen and his wife Qianqian "Chrissy" Luo.^[6] moved from Shanghai^[8] to Singapore in 2009,^[1] then from Singapore to the Bay Area of California in late 2017.^[9] They are currently residents of Menlo Park, California.^[32] Chen bought in 2018 for $39 million a historic mansion built for Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt in 1881 on East 69th Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.^[33][34]