Dhanin Chearavanont

Dhanin Chearavanont is the visionary patriarch behind Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand's largest private conglomerate and one of Asia's most diversified business empires. Under his leadership spanning more than four decades, CP Group grew from a modest seed and animal feed business founded by his father into a global powerhouse operating across agriculture, food production, retail, telecommunications, and real estate in over 20 countries. Dhanin's extraordinary ability to identify opportunities across vastly different industries and geographies made him one of the most respected business builders in Southeast Asian history.

Dhanin was an early believer in China's economic potential, becoming one of the first foreign investors to enter the country after it began opening its economy in 1979. His bold move to establish feed mills and poultry operations in Shenzhen laid the groundwork for what would become CP Group's massive Chinese operations, including partnerships with some of the world's largest companies. His pioneering investments in China's telecom sector through True Corporation and his retail expansion via the 7-Eleven franchise in Thailand demonstrated a remarkable capacity to see around corners and act decisively.

Beyond business, Dhanin is deeply admired for his commitment to food security and agricultural innovation across Asia. His philosophy of creating value at every step of the supply chain — from farm to table — transformed how agribusiness operates in the developing world. He has been a tireless advocate for improving farmers' livelihoods through technology and education, and his legacy extends far beyond wealth creation to the millions of families whose lives improved through the agricultural modernization CP Group championed.

Dhanin Chearavanont was born in 1939 in Bangkok, Thailand, the youngest of four sons. His father, Chia Ek Chor, had emigrated from Shantou, China in 1919 and founded a small seed shop called Chia Tai, which would eventually grow into the massive Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group. Growing up in the family business, young Dhanin learned the fundamentals of trade, agriculture, and cross-cultural commerce from an early age. He was sent to Hong Kong for his commercial education, where he gained exposure to international business practices that would prove invaluable. When he took the helm of CP Group in the 1960s at just 25 years old, the company was still primarily a seed and animal feed operation. His ambition and vision to transform a family seed store into a multi-industry conglomerate spanning dozens of countries set the stage for one of Asia's most remarkable business stories.