Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius lead two very different business worlds. One built a Hong Kong empire from a plastics workshop.
The other steers Mercedes-Benz, a leading luxury car brand. This guide separates fact from rumor and covers their age, family, net worth, and careers.
It also explains why people search for them together. All details reflect public reports as of October 2026.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Li Ka-shing | Ola Källenius |
| Full Name | Sir Li Ka-shing, KBE | Sten Ola Källenius |
| Age (2026) | 98 | 57 |
| Birthplace | Chaozhou, Guangdong, China | Västervik, Sweden |
| Nationality | Chinese (Hong Kong) | Swedish and German |
| Profession | Founder and senior adviser, CK Hutchison and CK Asset | CEO, Mercedes-Benz Group |
| Height | Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed |
| Weight | Not publicly confirmed | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net Worth | About US$45.1 billion (Forbes, Jan 2026) | No verified figure; 2025 pay about €8.8 million |
Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius at a Glance (Updated October 2026)
As of October 2026, Li Ka-shing is 98 and Hong Kong’s richest person. Ola Källenius is 57 and runs Mercedes-Benz Group. Li retired as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings in 2018 and remains senior adviser to both. Källenius was reappointed as chairman of the Board of Management until 21 May 2029. One built an empire. The other leads a global brand.
Are Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius Connected?
No Family Relationship or Direct Partnership
No credible report shows a family tie, joint venture, or shared board seat between Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius. They come from different generations, about 41 years apart. Li’s group works in ports, retail, and telecom. Källenius runs a car maker. Any link between them is thematic, not personal.
Do Not Confuse Li Ka-shing with Li Shufu of Geely
Li Shufu is the founder of Geely, a different person. Geely bought about 10 percent of Daimler, now Mercedes-Benz Group, in 2018 and became its largest shareholder. That deal explains why “Li” and Mercedes often appear together online. However, Li Shufu and Li Ka-shing share only a surname.
Why People Search for Them Together
Several factors drive these searches. Both men appear in business rankings and executive profiles. Both lead companies with deep ties to China. Källenius has described China as Mercedes’ largest market. Comparison searches pairing tycoons with CEOs are also common.
Who Is Li Ka-shing?
Age and Early Life
Li Ka-shing was born on 29 July 1928 in Chaozhou, Guangdong, so he is 98 in 2026. His family fled to Hong Kong during the Japanese invasion in the early 1940s. According to biographies, his father died of illness, and Li left school as a teenager. He then worked in a plastics trading firm to support his family.
Career and Business Empire
In 1950, Li founded Cheung Kong Industries, a plastics maker known for artificial flowers. He moved into real estate in the late 1950s. In 1979, he gained control of Hutchison Whampoa by buying a major stake from HSBC. That deal opened the door to ports, A.S. Watson retail brands, and telecom. His investment arm, Horizons Ventures, also made early bets on Facebook and Spotify.
Retirement and Succession
Li stepped down in 2018. He handed control of his business empire to his son Victor Li. The handover followed a 2015 restructuring that split the group into CK Hutchison and CK Asset. Li still carries the title of senior adviser. Meanwhile, Victor manages day-to-day strategy.
Li Ka-shing’s Age, Family and Net Worth
Family
Li’s late wife, Chong Yuet-ming, died in 1990. The couple had two sons. Victor Li chairs CK Hutchison and CK Asset, while Richard Li founded Pacific Century Group and PCCW. Li has often described his charitable foundation as his “third son.”
Net Worth in 2026
Forbes put Li’s net worth at US45.1billionin2026,upfromUS38.9 billion in 2025. The Hang Seng Index had risen by nearly 30 percent since the last survey. However, estimates differ by source and move with share prices. Treat any single number as a snapshot.
Honours and Recognition
According to reports, Li holds an honorary British knighthood (KBE), Hong Kong’s Grand Bauhinia Medal, and France’s Legion of Honour. Forbes ranked him Hong Kong’s richest person for a sixth straight year in 2026. His name has also appeared on Forbes’ global billionaire lists for decades.
Philanthropy
The Li Ka Shing Foundation, founded in 1980, funds education and healthcare. Its projects include Shantou University and the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. According to reports, Li has pledged about one-third of his wealth to the foundation.
Latest News: The CK Hutchison Ports Sale
CK Hutchison agreed to sell an 80 percent stake in 43 ports across 23 countries to a BlackRock and MSC-linked consortium. The deal was valued at about US$23 billion. However, Cosco’s demand for a majority stake created an impasse. Reports said the deal was stalled but not dead, and that Panama’s takeover of the two canal terminals would have little effect on the rest. On 2 October 2026, BlackRock disclosed a 5 percent holding in HPH Trust, a port business trust tied to the group.
Who Is Ola Källenius?
Age, Early Life and Education
Ola Källenius was born on 11 June 1969 in Västervik, Sweden, and studied at the Stockholm School of Economics and the University of St. Gallen, graduating in 1993. He is 57 in 2026. A Swedish business magazine also reports that he served at the Swedish military’s interpreter school before university. He obtained German citizenship in July 2023.
Ola Källenius’s Career at Mercedes-Benz
Career Timeline
Källenius joined Daimler-Benz in 1993 as a trainee. In the mid-1990s, he worked on the launch of the Mercedes plant in Alabama. From 2005 to 2009, he ran Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, the Formula 1 engine arm in Brixworth, UK. He later led Mercedes-AMG and joined the Board of Management in 2015. He became chairman on 22 May 2019.
Contract Until May 2029
The Supervisory Board reappointed Källenius until 21 May 2029. The early extension came in July 2023. His previous contract was due to expire in May 2024. Therefore, he is set to lead the company through its next major product cycle.
Strategy and 2026 Highlights
Källenius pushed an electric-led plan, including electric versions of the CLA and GLC. These models target Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y. However, 2025 was difficult. Global sales fell 9 percent to 1.8 million, and profit nearly halved as tariffs, currency swings, and Chinese competition weighed on results. Analysts view 2026 as a test year, and a cost-cutting program is underway.
Ola Källenius’s Family and Personal Life
Källenius is married to Sabine, and the couple have three sons. According to public profiles, they met in the United States in the 1990s while he worked on the Alabama plant launch. His wife is also described as active in environmental causes. The family keeps a low public profile.
Net Worth and Lifestyle Comparison
Why There Is No Fixed Net Worth for Källenius
Källenius is a salaried executive, not a founder or controlling owner. Mercedes does not publish his personal assets, and no reliable ranking lists his wealth. Many online estimates cite no source. Therefore, this article gives no figure. Public estimates suggest his wealth builds mainly through multi-year pay and share-linked bonuses.
Källenius’s Pay in 2025
Källenius earned about €8.8 million for 2025, down roughly 30 percent from €12.5 million the year before. The drop came mostly from a lower variable bonus tied to company profit. His 2023 pay was about €12.7 million. Additionally, his salary structure shows how closely his income follows company results.
Lifestyle
Li is known in media profiles for frugal habits, early rising, and a modest wardrobe despite his fortune. Källenius is known for his motorsport background, and a German profile noted his interest in American football. Both men keep their private lives out of the spotlight.
Career Paths Compared
Founder Investor versus Corporate Executive
Li is a founder-investor. He built a group from scratch, used his own capital, and shaped deals for decades. Källenius is a corporate executive who rose through one company over three decades. He answers to a supervisory board and shareholders. Li’s results show in net worth. Källenius’s results show in sales, margins, and pay.
Awards, Honors and Recognition
Li’s honors lean toward public service and philanthropy, including his knighthood and Hong Kong’s Grand Bauhinia Medal. Källenius’s recognition ties to corporate leadership. He became the first non-German to chair and lead the company, and he took German citizenship in 2023. Trade media regularly profile his electric strategy. Neither man’s career depends on awards, but both carry strong industry influence.
Height, Social Media and Public Profile
Neither man has an officially confirmed height or weight, so this article lists none. Li has no known personal social media accounts, though the Li Ka Shing Foundation runs official channels. According to public profiles, Källenius communicates mainly through Mercedes-Benz corporate channels and LinkedIn. Both keep a formal public image.
Where Are They Now? (October 2026)
Li remains senior adviser at 98, while Victor Li manages CK Hutchison. CK Hutchison shares traded near HK$67 on 8 October 2026. Meanwhile, Källenius leads Mercedes through cost cuts and a push for new electric models. Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius remain unconnected, yet each faces a defining test: a stalled ports sale for one, a profit recovery for the other.
Final Thoughts
Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius share no family tie or known partnership. Still, their stories show two paths to influence.
Li built a global group from a plastics shop and passed it to his son. Källenius earned the top job at Mercedes-Benz after decades inside the company.
Readers searching for Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius will find two distinct leaders, both shaping global business in 2026.
FAQ’s About Li Ka-shing and Ola Källenius
Who is Ola Källenius’ wife?
Källenius is married to Sabine, and the couple have three sons, according to public profiles.
Who is Ola Källenius?
He is the Swedish-German chairman and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group, in the role since May 2019.
What companies are owned by Li Ka-shing?
Li founded the group behind CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings. Today his family and son Victor run them.
How did Li Ka-shing become wealthy?
He started in plastics in 1950, then moved into real estate. His 1979 Hutchison Whampoa takeover expanded his reach into ports, retail, and telecom.
How old is Li Ka-shing?
Li Ka-shing was born on 29 July 1928, so he is 98 in 2026.
Ethan Brooks is a content creator and SEO professional with 5 years of experience in search engine optimization, content writing, and website growth. I’m passionate about creating helpful, easy-to-understand content that provides real value to readers and performs well in search engines.