How To Rule The World Like… Lee Kun-Hee

Stand for change

Lee has overseen Samsung since 1987, taking over just two weeks after his father’s death. In 1993, he famously told his employees to “change everything but your wife and kids,” and stuck to his word of transforming the company.

Under his chairmanship, the group’s market cap grew from just under $1 billion to over $240 billion and it is now the world’s biggest phone and TV maker.

Become a billionaire

With a personal fortune estimated at $13 billion by Forbes, Lee is currently the richest man in South Korea.

The Samsung group is Korea’s largest conglomerate and accounts for almost 20 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Have powerful friends

Lee resigned from Samsung in 2008 after he was found guilty of embezzlement and tax evasion in Samsung’s slush funds scandal. However, he was given a presidential pardon in 2009, and returned to lead Samsung in 2010.

Extend your reach

A member of the International Olympic Committee, he successfully led Korea’s bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, defeating rival cities Munich and Annecy.