Video: 'Superman' Li Ka-shing Looks Back on Storied Career

(Hong Kong) — Refugee, high-school dropout, watchmaker’s apprentice, “king of plastic flowers,” port and real estate magnate and Hong Kong’s richest man — Li Ka-shing has played all of these roles during his 78-year career, which he announced on March 16 will end with his retirement in May.

Li, a self-made billionaire, has been one of the most influential businessmen in Asia for decades. With a net worth of over $34 billion, he is the 23rd richest man in the world, according to Forbes. The conglomerate he built, CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd., operates a wide range of businesses, including transportation, real estate, financial services, retail, energy and utilities, employing over 320,000 workers. The company is the world’s leading port investor and the largest health and beauty retailer in Asia and Europe.