Ye Chenghai Net Worth

Ye Chenghai has an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Ye Chenghai profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $2.6 billion in 2019.

Ye Chenghai is a Chinese businessman and former politician who founded Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals, which makes cardiovascular, cancer and anti-infective drugs. He was born on 15 August 1943 in Meixian, now part of Meizhou in Guangdong province, and is Hakka. Forbes describes him as self-made.

He studied international politics at Renmin University of China. After graduating in 1968 he was assigned to Bao'an County, the area that later became Shenzhen, and rose through local government there. He served on the city's party standing committee, as party secretary of Luohu District and as vice mayor of Shenzhen.

He resigned from government in 1985 to go into business. He has also served as a vice chairman of Renmin University's board.

Ye's career mirrors the rise of Shenzhen itself. He arrived when the area was still a rural county, helped govern it as it became a special economic zone, and then left public office to join the wave of entrepreneurs who turned the city into a business hub. His drug company grew alongside the city's boom.

How Ye Chenghai made his money

After leaving government, Ye founded and worked at companies including the Hong Kong trading firm Meizhou International Trade and Shenzhen Haibin Pharmaceutical. Those businesses gave him a foothold in the drug industry.

In 1998 a Hong Kong-controlled Salubris company formed Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals, which became a joint-stock company in 2007 and is now listed. Ye served as chairman for many years and has been its controlling owner through the Hong Kong entity. The company focuses on medicines for heart disease, cancer and infections.

He handed over the top job in September 2022, resigning as chairman but staying on as a director. His son Kevin, also known as Ye Yuxiang, took over, and his daughter Ye Yujun sits on the board.

Like many Chinese drug makers, Salubris built its business on medicines for common chronic illnesses, which have steady demand as the population ages.

How Forbes has valued Ye Chenghai

Forbes valued Ye at $2.6 billion in 2019 and $2.3 billion in 2020. His figure rose to $4.3 billion in 2021, then fell to $3.4 billion in 2022, $2.8 billion in 2023 and $2.4 billion in 2024.

It edged up to $2.5 billion in 2025 and jumped to $3.8 billion on the 2026 World's Billionaires List. As of October 20, 2026, the Forbes real-time billionaires tracker showed $2.8 billion. His fortune follows the share price of Salubris.