Wang Jianlin Rents Out British Museum to Launch “The Wanda Way”

Not content to just be China’s richest man, Wang Jianlin now seems set on making himself a cultural icon, as the chairman of Dalian Wanda group this week rented out space in the British Museum to launch the English version of his book, “The Wanda Way.”

Wanda promoted the event as “the first global publication of a Chinese enterprise management philosophy” and as it promotes Wang as a “thought leader” rather than just a common tycoon.

The book launch comes soon after Wang announced a series of high profile deals over the last several months, including the $3.5 billion acquisition of US movie producer Legendary Entertainment, and a the establishment of a $2.3 billion joint venture project to set up private hospitals in China.

Chinese Companies as Thought Leaders Instead of Product Exporters

According to Wanda, the launch of the English version of The Wanda Way “signals Chinese companies’ transitioning from the export of products to the transmission of thought leadership,” and the event coincides with the debut of a new section on the company’s website dedicated to spotlighting quotes from the billionaire property developer.

Wang has risen to become China’s richest man, according to Forbes, with a fortune estimated at $30 billion. He has publicly stated his goal of building Wanda into a $200 billion company by 2020, and has been expanding beyond property development into industries as diverse as online finance and entertainment.

Organisers were careful to point out the attendance of a number of British and Chinese officials at the ceremony including UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, John Whittingdale; UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Francis Maude; and Minister Counsellor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, Jin Xu.

“I hope people can get to know Chinese culture and philosophy. A country is strong when its companies are strong,” the official China Daily quoted Wang as saying at the book launch.

“We have much to celebrate in this new golden era of the UK-China relationship,” Secretary Whittingdale reportedly said. Adding that, “China and Britain can work together for our mutual benefit.”

“The Wanda Way” is Wang Jianlin’s first book and was originally published in Chinese in January of last year. The Chinese version has since sold 610,000 copies and been reprinted 15 times – establishing a new sales record for management books on the mainland, according to Wanda.

The book highlights lessons that Wang learned as a young PLA soldier as well as recounting the many challenges that the now billionaire and his company faced in transforming a local home builder into China’s largest commercial developer. Accounts of Wang’s rise in the New York Times and elsewhere have also tied the developer’s success to close alignment with the families of senior government officials.

Wanda PR Blitz Rivals Its Acquisition Streak

While Wanda’s string of cross-border acquisitions, domestic partnerships and new mall openings continues to shock many industry analysts, the company’s barrage of PR announcements may be even more impressive.

In its rush to establish Wanda as a global brand, Wang’s rapidly expanding conglomerate has averaged nearly one PR announcement every two days on its website, featuring the debut of new projects as well as a string of public appearances by Wang himself.

The book launch in London is part of a five day European tour that includes an address at Oxford University today. The event at the prestigious UK university follows a similarly high profile appearance at Harvard University in the US last year, after the tycoon made a significant donation to the school’s endowment.

Wanda is a major investor in the UK, having undertaken the £1 billion One Nine Elms property development project in London, as well as acquiring the Sunseeker yacht firm in 2013 for £320 million.