Allan Zeman Biography
Allan Zeman is a business magnate from Hong Kong. He made his first fortune by importing Hong Kong clothing. In the 1970s, he frequently traveled to Hong Kong for work and eventually moved there in 1975.
How old is Allan Zeman? – Age
He is 73 years old as of 18 July 2022. He was born in 1949 in Regensburg, Germany.
Allan Zeman Parents – Family
He was born in Regensburg, Germany, to a Jewish family, and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where his mother worked in a hospital. Zeman’s father died when he was seven years old. He began working when he was ten years old. He dropped out of college and earned his first $1 million while working for a lingerie company at the age of nineteen.
Allan Zeman Wife
He is married to Charmaine Zeman, and the couple has two children, Jonathan Zeman and Marisa Zeman-McConnell. He is a teetotaler who speaks English, French, and some Cantonese.
Allan Zeman Fashion
Zeman is a director of Algo Group, another fashion company, in addition to having built and sold the successful Colby group. Style Magazine named him “Stylemaker of the Year” in February 2007. (published by the South China Morning Post).
Allan Zeman Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of $1 Billion.
Allan Zeman Political Views
In the 2007 Legco by-election in the Hong Kong Island constituency, he backed Regina Ip, the former Secretary for Security. Anson Chan, on the other hand, defeated her. In 2017, he backed Carrie Lam, who announced on 12 January 2017 that she would run for Hong Kong’s Chief Executive position, which she won in March 2017. By mid-2019, he was being mentioned as an economic adviser to Lam in her role as CEO.
He supported an independent investigation into how police clashed with protestors in 2019, but has since changed his mind and said the city has moved on. During his 2021 election campaign, his platform advocated for the protection of national security. He also commented on universal suffrage. Zeman ran in the Election Committee constituency in the Hong Kong legislative election of 2021 but was defeated.
Allan Zeman Career
Zeman established Colby International Group in 1975 to source clothing in China and export it to Canada. Colby was sold to Li & Fung Ltd., a major competitor, in late 2000, having grown to be a much larger and more diverse company. Zeman felt that there were no western restaurants in Hong Kong that met his needs in the early 1980s, so he opened California Restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong, a narrow street in Central, Hong Kong, in 1983. In 1984, he purchased the entire block, launching his career as both an entertainment operator and a property developer. Zeman sold Colby International to Li & Feng for $280 million in 2000.
He oversaw the development of Lan Kwai Fong into one of Hong Kong’s most important bar and nightlife districts through Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Ltd, of which he is chairman. He is said to own 65 percent of the properties in the district.
Meanwhile, as chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Concepts Holdings Ltd., he owns California, California Coffee, China Lan Kwai Fong, Indochine, Tokio Joe, Cafe des Artistes, Tutta Luna, Jazz Club, Thai Lemongrass, BACI, BACI Pizza, and Luna Di Notte.
In July 2003, Zeman was appointed chairman of Ocean Park by Hong Kong’s then-Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa. Despite the opening of rival Hong Kong Disneyland, he was able to increase visitor numbers. Forbes magazine dubbed him “Hong Kong’s Mouse Killer” in 2007. By 2014, Zeman had stepped down as chairman.
Zeman is well-known in government circles, serving on a number of committees, boards, and advisory bodies. He has served on the Boards of Governors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce for many years. He is a member of Hong Kong’s Economic and Employment Council. He serves on the boards of the Hong Kong Tourism Commission, the Cultural and Heritage Commission, and the Urban Renewal Authority.
He serves on the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s International Events Fund Steering Committee. He was appointed to the Services Promotion Strategy Group, which is chaired by the Financial Secretary. He currently serves on the boards of the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Hong Kong Community Chest.