Born in 1907 in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Shaw developed a deep interest in the movie business at the age of 19, when he established the Shaw Organization with his third elder brother Runme Shaw in Shanghai.
Together they founded the South Seas Film studio in 1930, which later became Shaw Studios and grew into Asia's largest by 1958.
He set up TVB in November of 1967, growing it into a multi-billion dollar TV empire which ranks today as one of the top 5 television producers in the world.
As controlling shareholder, Shaw has attracted top talent to the station by launching training programs, "ushering in what many call the golden age of TV entertainment in Hong Kong," commented the South China Morning Post. Superstars including Chow Yun-Fat, Stephen Chow, Andy Lau and Tony Leung were once trainees of the programs.
Bloomberg, quoting a research report by Media Partners Asia, added that TVB accounted for more than 80 percent of Hong Kong's free-to-air television market by advertising sales in 2009, and is one of the world's largest producers of Chinese-language programs, distributing shows in more than 30 countries.
"Shaw is undoubtedly a media wonder. Though he has not engaged in the company's businesses much over the last few years, he has still been pulling TVB through hardships," recalled a consultant at a private equity company.
Besides media, Shaw owns many other businesses throughout the world, including the 41-story Shaw Tower at Cathedral Place located in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is just one example of his real estate interests.
As successful a businessman as Shaw is, he also takes a strong interest in philanthropy. Over the years, he has donated billions of dollars to charities, schools and hospitals in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and many other regions around the world.
In 2005, he donated HK$10 million to tsunami-hit areas in Southeast Asia. In 2008, he contributed HK$100 million for disaster relief after the Sichuan Earthquake.
He also established an international award, the Shaw Prize, for scientists in three areas of research – astronomy, mathematics, and life and medical sciences. The award reaches up to $1 million, and is called by the press as the "Nobel Prize of the East."
Shaw also received a knighthood from Elizabeth II in 1977 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) from the Hong Kong Special Administration government in 1998.
