F an Hongwei is a self-made Chinese billionaire and the CEO of Hengli Group, one of the world's largest producers of petrochemicals and polyester fibers. She is one of the wealthiest self-made women in the world. In 1994, she and her husband, Chen Jianhua, took over a failing state-owned textile factory and began the journey that would transform it into a colossal industrial empire. She has been the operational leader of the group, driving its day-to-day business.

Under their joint leadership, Hengli Group pursued an aggressive strategy of vertical integration, moving from textiles and weaving into the upstream production of PTA (purified terephthalic acid) and other petrochemicals, the raw materials for polyester. The group has built some of the largest and most advanced integrated refining and petrochemical complexes in the world. While her husband serves as chairman, Fan's role as CEO makes them one of the most powerful husband-and-wife duos in global industry. Their combined efforts have made Hengli a dominant force in the entire polyester supply chain.