Founded in 1995 by Chairman Pan Shiyi and CEO Zhang Xin, SOHO China is the industry leader in developing high-profile branded commercial properties in central Beijing. The company collaborates with internationally-recognized architects, translating their innovative designs into iconic real estate which possesses strong appeal to property investors and the local businesses and customer bases which they serve.

 

With the slogan of "building city center prosperity", SOHO China has played a leading role in China´s urbanization, with several of its developments becoming landmark structures in Beijing´s emerging skyline. Its completed developments in central Beijing include SOHO New Town, Jianwai SOHO, SOHO Shangdu, and Chaowai SOHO. Its latest project is Sanlitun SOHO, a 470,000 square meter commercial project located in Sanlitun, the most famous and busiest bar area in downtown Beijing. Also currently under development are Guanghualu SOHO and Guanghualu SOHO II, Beijing SOHO Residences and Chaoyangmen SOHO. In addition, the company owns two award-winning hotels which are managed by Kempinski Hotels - Commune by the Great Wall in Beijing and Boao Kempinski on Hainan Island.

 

SOHO China projects have attained tremendous commercial success, typically ranking No.1 in Beijing in terms of sales turnover. This success is in large part due to the company´s ability to roll out high-quality, innovative products in prime locations, specifically catered to China´s high net worth individuals and urban professionals. As of May 2008, SOHO China has completed the construction of approximately 1.5 million square meters of gross floor area (GFA) in central Beijing, with another 1.2 million presently under development. The company has developed more GFA in Beijing´s CBD than any other real estate company.

 

As one of China´s leading private companies, SOHO China embraces its responsibility to actively contribute to the sustainable growth of the Chinese economy and to the advancement of Chinese society. As such, the company takes great pride in having been among the top ten taxpayers in China´s real estate industry from 2003-2006. Moreover, in 2005, SOHO China management formally established SOHO China Foundation, a charity organization guided by the mission of advancing education as a means for alleviating poverty. In 2007, it made a total of RMB 26.8 million in donations, a large portion of which was used towards enhancing learning conditions in impoverished areas of Western China. The Foundation´s largest single donation to date came in May 2008, when it donated RMB 22.0 million to the Beijing Red Cross towards restoring education in areas of Sichuan and Gansu Provinces struck by the May 12^th Wenchuan earthquake.

 

On October 8, 2007, SOHO China was successfully listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (Stock Code: 410), raising proceeds of USD 1.9 billion. It has the distinction of being Asia´s largest commercial real estate IPO as of today. The company was also named as one of the "Most Admired Companies" in China by FORTUNE (China) Magazine in both 2006 and 2007.