Desmond Shum, who was born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong, was part of a private equity team that invested in the first NASDAQ-listed Chinese technology firm, and he later undertook investments in technology, finance and real estate in the Greater China region. He developed the largest air cargo logistics facility in China, the Beijing Airport Cargo Terminal. He also led the development of the Bulgari Hotel in Beijing. In addition, starting in the early 2000s, he was an early pioneer of philanthropy in China, gifting extensively both domestically and internationally. He is an Honorary Trustee of Tsinghua University and he's a Henry Crown Fellow of The Aspen Institute.