(Ecns.cn)--Liang Wengen, chairman of Sany Group, which makes earth-movers, pile drivers, and concrete mixers, has been tantalizing the public, especially reporters, since he topped Forbes Asia magazine's China Rich List on September 8 and the Hurun Rich List a day earlier.
"You can make Sany known to the whole world but Liang Wengen known to nobody," said Liang to Xiang Wenbo, vice president of Sany. The successful businessman has stayed behind the scenes and refused all interviews after claiming the title of richest Chinese.
"Liang is quite a low-profile guy. He does not want to be called the richest man," said insiders of the company.
Low profile
Reporters from the China Weekly tried to interview Liang at his company in Changsha, Hunan Province on September 9, but their attempt ended in vain. They found the headquarters to be very quiet, without any indication of a celebration over the news.
"The whole thing makes no difference in our usual routine," said an employee, who revealed that they know Liang prefers to keep a low profile, thus they have been low key in releasing related news.
"It is almost impossible to interview Liang," noted the staff member, adding that he had seldom agreed to any interviews before the listing.
Reporters also found that almost all those who know Liang have commented on him as being a low-profile guy.
Hard-earned success
Liang probably never expected that he would be China's richest man more than two decades ago, when he had just quit a secure job at a state-owned company and decided to be a businessman.
His father was quite angry at him for throwing away an "iron rice bowl," but Liang still stuck to his decision.
"If I failed as a businessman, I would do two things: first, write a book called It Doesn't Work That Way to warn young guys like me, who acts on impulse; second, be a teacher in an undeveloped mountain village to educate others," explained Liang.
Though he failed many times as a sheep dealer, an alcohol seller, and a glass fiber producer, Liang eventually managed to start a small welding materials factory in his hometown in 1986 with 60,000 yuan (9,393) borrowed from others, which turned out to be a life turning point for him years later.
