C hu Jian is a Chinese academic-turned-entrepreneur and the founder of Supcon Technology, a leading provider of industrial automation and control systems in China. A former professor at Zhejiang University, Chu leveraged his deep technical expertise to start his own company in 1993, aiming to develop domestic technology to compete with major international players like Siemens and Honeywell.

Under his leadership, Supcon has become a crucial supplier of process control systems for a wide range of heavy industries in China, including petrochemicals, power generation, and metallurgy. The company's success is a key example of China's push for technological self-sufficiency in critical industrial sectors. Chu's journey has not been without controversy; he faced a period of legal trouble but was later acquitted, returning to lead the company he founded. His stake in the publicly traded firm is the source of his billionaire status.