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LeaderPortfolio
Billionaire Profile
Forrest Li
Global Rank
#755

Image: Sk aman khan | CC0 | via Wikimedia Commons

Forrest Li

CEO, Online gaming
SINGAPORE
Real-Time Net Worth
$5.616B
Estimated based on Online gaming stock value as of April 21, 2026
-2.12% (24h)
Age
48
Source
Online gaming, e-commerce
Industry
Media & Entertainment
Citizenship
SINGAPORE

Biography

Forrest Li Xiaodong (born 1977 or 1978) is a Singaporean entrepreneur and billionaire, best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Sea Limited, a leading global consumer internet company. His wealth stems from online gaming, e-commerce, and digital financial services through Sea's subsidiaries, including Garena, Shopee, and Monee. Li's career includes an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree in engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University. He is also involved in Singaporean sports as the president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and previously chairman of Lion City Sailors FC. As of April 5, 2024, his net worth was estimated at $3.6 billion, ranking him as the ninth richest person in Singapore.

Fact Checked
Verified by Editorial Team
Live Data
Updated 4/21/2026

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life

Forrest Li Xiaodong was born in Tianjin, China, in 1977 or 1978. He earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University. After graduation, he worked at Motorola Solutions and Corning before pursuing an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Li has credited Steve Jobs's commencement speech at Stanford as inspiration for becoming a startup founder.

Rise to Success

After graduating from Stanford, Li moved to Singapore with limited financial resources and student loan debt. He founded Garena in 2009, initially focusing on digital entertainment. Garena launched Shopee, an e-commerce platform, in 2015, which became a leading online shopping provider in Southeast Asia. Sea Limited was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017. In 2020, Li's company acquired the Home United Football Club, which was then renamed Lion City Sailors FC.

Key Business Strategies

Sea Limited's success is attributed to adapting and innovating in the digital landscape. The company diversified from digital entertainment to e-commerce and digital financial services. Shopee's focus on affordable pricing and free shipping contributed to its market dominance in Southeast Asia. The company has expanded its operations globally.

Philanthropy

Forrest Li channels his philanthropic efforts through Sea Limited, with a strong emphasis on education and technology development in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Career Milestones

2009

Founded Garena

Established Garena, initially a digital entertainment company, in Singapore.

2015

Launched Shopee

Launched Shopee, an e-commerce platform, which became a leading online shopping provider in Southeast Asia.

2017

Sea Limited IPO

Sea Limited was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

2020

Acquired Home United FC

Acquired Home United Football Club and renamed it Lion City Sailors FC.

2025

President of FAS

Elected as the president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Education

NUS Donation

$50M

Sea Limited gave a S$50 million gift to the National University of Singapore's (NUS) School of Computing for research and education in areas such as artificial intelligence and data science.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

""Stay hungry, stay foolish.""

Leadership Principles

Innovation

Focus on creating new products and services to address the needs of consumers and small businesses through technology.

Adaptability

Willingness to pivot and diversify the business model, as seen with Garena's transition into e-commerce and digital finance.

Strategic Partnerships

Forming alliances with key players like Tencent to expand market reach.

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