Page 31 - Forbes - Asia (December 2019 - January 2020)
P. 31
Shigenobu Nagamori at the
opening ceremony of a cancer
research center which he funded.
KATHY XU, 52
Founding Partner, Capital Today
HONG KONG
Venture capitalist Xu gave $4
million late last year to her alma
mater Nanjing University to
endow the Kathy Xu Artificial
Intelligence Development Fund,
which aims to recruit top talent
and advance the field of artificial
intelligence. Her previous Bill Bensley (top); Rangers on duty (below); Shinta Mani Wild jungle retreat
donations include $6 million
since 2010 for scholarships at
the university. Among them is
an award established in 2015
that gives up to $60,000, the
largest scholarship the university SHIGENOBU NAGAMORI, 75
offers, to an undergraduate to Founder, Chairman
go overseas to study science, and CEO, Nidec
technology, engineering, or JAPAN
mathematics. Xu, who gradu-
ated from the university in 1988, Nagamori in August 2018 do-
founded Capital Today in 2005 Bensley has spent $15 million which Cambodian hotel and nated ¥3.2 billion ($29 million)
and now manages $2.5 billion in since 2010 to buy and develop restaurant entrepreneur Sokoun to build a new community center
funds that invest in China-based 400 hectares of riverside Chanpreda created in 2004. in Muko, the city where he grew
startups. —Jane Ho property for Shinta Mani Wild, The foundation has given more up. The center has a 500-seat
with all profits from the resort to than $850,000 to build 1,600 concert hall, but can also be
COURTESY OF CAPITAL TODAY; COURTESY OF SHINTA MANI WILD; COURTESY OF NIDEC
be donated to Wildlife Alliance, wells and more than 100 homes, used in emergencies to shelter
a conservation group battling and has provided over 12,000 about 750 people and provide
poachers and logging in an ad- bicycles to locals. Additional bathing, cooking and sleeping
BILL BENSLEY, 60 joining rainforest abounding with contributions from him and oth- facilities. “Instead of being de-
Founder and Owner, elephants and other rare wildlife. ers have provided 15,000 dental lighted with the fat bank account
Bensley Design Studio The American architect has checkups and teeth cleanings for that fate has given me, I’ve de-
THAILAND lived for three decades in Bang- needy children in the country. cided to use that money to help
kok. He has designed about 200 Shinta Mani Wild tries to where there are true needs,” he
Bill Bensley, the owner and oper- properties, including the Four support Wildlife Alliance with said during a news conference
ator of an eponymous architec- Seasons Tented Camp Golden more than money: guests can to announce the donation. Naga-
ture firm with offices in Bangkok Triangle in northern Thailand, join nature walks with rangers in mori’s Nidec, which is based in
and Bali, is a well-known de- the Capella Ubud in Bali, the a protected forest showcasing the city of Kyoto, is one of the
signer of upscale resorts in Asia. InterContinental Danang Sun what’s at stake. The founda- world’s largest manufacturers
Last year, he opened Shinta Mani Peninsula in Vietnam and the tion provides support for the of motors for hard disks and
Wild, a luxurious jungle retreat new Rosewood Luang Prabang rangers, and the resort has also optical drives. Nagamori has to
in southern Cambodia, to serve in Laos. But Shinta Mani Wild is built a ranger station for their date donated at least ¥20 billion
as a charitable operation. “This part of his own Bensley Collec- use. Bensley’s latest brainchild: toward educational and health-
is one of the last untouched tion of upscale boutique inns. a collection of Wildlife Alliance care initiatives. His other recent
areas in Cambodia. I wanted to Bensley has long been giving outdoor gear he has designed gifts include funds to build an
protect, and also share it,” he back in Cambodia. Bensley’s and launched this year, with all engineering school and a cancer
says. “People can come and see donations are all made through proceeds going to the conserva- research center, both in Kyoto.
just why we must save it.” the Shinta Mani Foundation, tion group. —Ron Gluckman —James Simms
DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 FORBES ASIA | 29
