<p>A businessman who spun his wealth from bottled water and vaccines has usurped tech tycoon Jack Ma as China's richest man, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed Thursday.</p>.<p>Nongfu Spring founder Zhong Shanshan's net worth has hit $58.7 billion after a massive listing by the bottled water company in Hong Kong earlier this month.</p>.<p>This makes him $2 billion richer than previous number one, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, the wealth index said.</p>.<p>Zhong's Nongfu Spring, which claims to be number one in China's massive bottled water market, is ubiquitous across a country where most people shun tap water for health reasons.</p>.<p>The company raised nearly $1.1 billion in its initial public offering.</p>.<p>Zhong is also the chairman of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Co. Ltd., a vaccine manufacturer that listed on the mainland in April.</p>.<p>It is developing a Covid-19 vaccine nasal spray in conjunction with a prominent university.</p>.<p>Zhong, a 66-year-old former reporter from Zhejiang who state media say was also once a construction worker, is often referred to by Chinese media as a "lone wolf" for his rare public appearances and reluctance to be interviewed.</p>.<p>He founded Nongfu in 1996, Just as China's bottled water market began to take off.</p>
<p>A businessman who spun his wealth from bottled water and vaccines has usurped tech tycoon Jack Ma as China's richest man, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed Thursday.</p>.<p>Nongfu Spring founder Zhong Shanshan's net worth has hit $58.7 billion after a massive listing by the bottled water company in Hong Kong earlier this month.</p>.<p>This makes him $2 billion richer than previous number one, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, the wealth index said.</p>.<p>Zhong's Nongfu Spring, which claims to be number one in China's massive bottled water market, is ubiquitous across a country where most people shun tap water for health reasons.</p>.<p>The company raised nearly $1.1 billion in its initial public offering.</p>.<p>Zhong is also the chairman of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Co. Ltd., a vaccine manufacturer that listed on the mainland in April.</p>.<p>It is developing a Covid-19 vaccine nasal spray in conjunction with a prominent university.</p>.<p>Zhong, a 66-year-old former reporter from Zhejiang who state media say was also once a construction worker, is often referred to by Chinese media as a "lone wolf" for his rare public appearances and reluctance to be interviewed.</p>.<p>He founded Nongfu in 1996, Just as China's bottled water market began to take off.</p>