Lim had an international perspective from an early age when he was sent to an English boarding school, later gaining a place to study accounting and finance at the prestigious London School of Economics.

Although Lim can clearly afford to send his 11-year-old daughter to one of Beijing's many international educational institutions, he has opted to send her at a local school so she can learn to speak, read and write Chinese, a vitally important asset to have in the 21st century.

To ensure that she is also fluent in the international language of business and travel, Lim tends to speak English to her at home. The family lives in an outer suburb of the sprawling city, which has witnessed many changes in the past few years. Instead of slowing down after the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, the development continues at breakneck pace.

"Beijing has become a world city," he says. "Of course you can say there is lots of room for improvement but it has come a long way. It has been driven by incoming foreign people and the local population is growing and acquiring the taste and demand for services."

And Lim hopes to benefit from that demand of services.

Bio

Lim Chee Wah

Group Executive Chairman VXL Capital Ltd

Age: 57

Education: Bachelor's degree, the London School of Economics

Career:

1978: Trustee of Yayasan Lim, a Malaysian charitable organization founded by his father, Lim Goh Tong

1985-1990: Various senior management positions at Genting Berhad and Asiatic Development Berhad

1993: Founds VXL Group

2000: Awarded the right to be called "Datuk" by the king of Malaysia, a title that is roughly equivalent to a knighthood.

2006: Sets up Hong Kong Furui Charity foundation to develop the social and traditional status in China

2011: Will open the first Secret Garden ski run this winter, followed by more runs and a hotel the following year.

Children: Three sons and a daughter