Tsai Eng-meng

Tsai chairs Want Want China, one of the world's largest suppliers of Chinese-style snacks and drinks.

He also invests in hotels, financial services and media, including China Times newspaper and China Television Co.

At age 19 Tsai took over his father's food business and promptly came up with an idea for a new product: crackers made from rice flour.

Sons Kevin and Wang-Chia, along with nephew Cheng Wen-Hsien, are members of Want Want's board of directors.