 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent, third-party sources. (January 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Ye Guofu | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 1977 Shiyan, Hubei |
| Education | Diploma in Economic Management, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 2000 |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2000 - present |
| Known for | Founder of MINISO, representative of the 12th Guangdong Province People's Congress |
| Spouse | Yang Yunyun |
Ye Guofu (Chinese: 叶国富; pinyin: Yè Guófù; born November 1977) is a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur who is the founder, chairman, and CEO of lifestyle retail group MINISO. Ye is the first Chinese to own a chain store with extensive global presence.
Biography
Ye Guofu attended Zhongnan University of Economics and Law where he earned a diploma in economic management. After his graduation in 2000, Ye moved to Guangzhou where MINISO's headquarters is located and began his entrepreneurial career. During this time, Guofu met his wife Yang Yunyun, a fellow Chinese entrepreneur and billionaire who is the vice president of MINISO.
Ye engaged in multiple businesses in retail sector including a store - 10-yuan shop Aiyaya, which sold all its products below 10 yuan. In 2013, Guofu founded MINISO, formerly known as Mingchuangyoupin. The company began operations in a basement garage in Guangzhou. In 2015, Guofu expanded his company MINISO into international market with a shop in Singapore. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Guofu led the execution of a more aggressive overseas expansion strategy of MINISO. The company went public on the NYSE in October 2020 and on the HKEX in June 2022.
Ye served as a representative of the 12th Guangdong Province People's Congress and as the vice-chairman of the 12 Federation of Industry and Commerce of Liwan District, Guangzhou. He also serves as the chairman of Shiyan Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen and teaches at Peking University.
Ye was awarded the ‘Top 10 Influential Brander of the Year 2018’. He was named China's TOP50 Young Business Leaders and ranked 148 in Forbes’ 2020 China Rich List and "Top 500 Chinese Brand Characters 2021. Guofu and his wife Yang Yunyun were ranked 118 in Hurun China Rich list 2023. Guofu ranked 690 in Hurun Global Rich list 2024.
Philanthropy
In early 2020, upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ye donated protective supplies and daily necessities worth 3 million yuan to his hometown Shiyan City in Hubei Province and advocated for more supplies from his peers as the chairman of Shiyan Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen.
References
- "Billionaire's China Supermarket Deal Causes Swift Wealth Wipeout". Bloomberg.com. 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "Hurun Report - Info - A Thrilling Business Gamble:". www.hurun.net. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "Billionaire's China supermarket deal causes swift wealth wipe-out". The Straits Times. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- ^ "iF Design - Guofu Ye". ifdesign.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "Ye Guofu, founder of Mingchuang Premium: A company that starts in a garage is more likely to become a great global enterprise". news.futunn.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "Chinese retailer Miniso targets US$116 million in secondary Hong Kong listing". South China Morning Post. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "For this time, Ye Guofu waited for a whole 11 years". www.moomoo.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "Ye Guofu". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- "湖北十堰：工商联举旗号令 民企队跑步前进-民生网-人民日报社《民生周刊》杂志官网". wap.msweekly.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.