Gao Dekang is a Chinese businessman, the self-made billionaire Chairman and CEO of Bosideng International Holdings Limited (HKSE: 3998), a dominant global manufacturer of down jackets and apparel. Born in 1952 in Shanjing, a southern Chinese village, his career began in the most hands-on manner: he graduated from high school and started his career as a tailor in 1972.

Gao's entrepreneurial journey began in 1976 when he established his apparel business. His reputation was built on incredible efficiency: he was known for being able to sew a pair of trousers together in 17 minutes and delivering them back to the city the next day. This dedication to speed, quality, and customer service became the foundation of his immense fortune.

Gao Dekang's strategic genius was his pivot to down coats in 1984 after discovering a great demand for warm clothing. He registered the company and cleverly renamed the brand 'Bosideng', which literally translated means Boston, aiming for international recognition. The company achieved massive scale, selling nearly 500,000 coats and becoming the No. 1 seller in China that year.

Under his leadership, Bosideng became a high-profile national brand. Gao undertook massive, high-profile tri-polar world expeditions (climbing Mount Everest and an expedition to the North Pole) to prove that the brand truly could produce clothing for extremely cold weather conditions. He secured the company's status as the official Chinese 2006 Winter Olympics team apparel. The company expanded to over 11,000 stores in China by 2011, securing his multi-billion dollar fortune and cementing his legacy as a titan of global apparel manufacturing.