Robert Kuok Net Worth

Robert Kuok has an estimated net worth of $12.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Robert Kuok profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $14.2 billion.

Robert Kuok is a Malaysian businessman whose wealth is tied to palm oil, shipping, and property. Forbes says he is the richest man in Malaysia. He started in 1949 by trading rice, sugar, and wheat flour in Johor. Over time, he built Kuok Group into a wide business network with interests in hotels, real estate, and commodities. He has also been based in Hong Kong since 1973 and has kept many of his companies privately held.

A big step came in 1971, when he founded Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Singapore. He later expanded into Hong Kong property, including a waterfront site in 1977 where he developed the Kowloon Shangri-La. His fortune also includes a valuable stake in Wilmar International, run by his nephew Kuok Khoon Hong. In 2007, he merged plantation, edible oil, and grain businesses with Wilmar, creating the world’s biggest palm-oil processor.

How Robert Kuok built his fortune

Kuok’s business career began with commodity trading. Forbes says his wealth comes from palm oil, shipping, and property, and that mix can be seen across Kuok Group. The group has interests in hotels, real estate, and commodities. Early on, he traded rice, sugar, and wheat flour in Johor. Those trading roots grew into a broader collection of businesses across several industries, with many companies kept under family control.

Hospitality became one of his best-known businesses after he founded Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Singapore in 1971. Property also became a major part of the picture, including his move into Hong Kong real estate in 1977. Another key asset is his stake in Wilmar International, which is run by his nephew Kuok Khoon Hong. Forbes also notes family roles across the group, including leadership at Kuok Group, Kerry Properties, and K2 Strategic.

Forbes net worth over time

Forbes estimated Kuok’s fortune at $12.8 billion in 2019, then $9.6 billion in 2020, before rising to $12.6 billion in 2021. The next few yearly lists showed $11.7 billion in 2022, $11.8 billion in 2023, and $11.4 billion in 2024. Those changes match the fact that his holdings span several areas, including commodities, hotels, real estate, and a valuable Wilmar stake, rather than a single company.

On the 2025 Forbes World’s Billionaires List, his fortune was put at $12.1 billion, and the 2026 list placed it at $14.2 billion. Forbes’ real-time billionaires tracker later showed $12.5 billion in Oct 2026, and the current reading is $12.5 billion as of October 20, 2026. Even with those shifts, Forbes still describes him as Malaysia’s richest man, with wealth tied to Kuok Group and related holdings.