September 2016
Case
HBS Case Collection

Zhang Xin and the Emergence of Chinese Philanthropy

Format:Print
| Language:English
| Pages:23

Abstract

This case examines the recent emergence of Chinese business philanthropy through the case of the SOHO China Foundation established by real estate wife and husband moguls Zhang Xin and Pan Shiyi. After exploring how they became billionaires through investing in the booming China real estate market in the 1990s, the case discusses their decision to found the Foundation in the context of the belated emergence of philanthropy in China and the continuing challenges it faces because of reputational issues and government supervision. A decision by the Foundation to endow $100 million to provide financial aid for Chinese students studying overseas, which included large gifts to Harvard and Yale, attracted widespread criticism in China. The case provides a vehicle for discussing the dynamics of business philanthropy in China and the future directions it may take.