Longfor Group Holdings

Wu Yajun, the founder, chairman, and former CEO of this Chongqing-founded real estate group, was once among the richest women in China. Effectively she still is, but last year Wu transferred her entire stake in Longfor to a trust controlled by her daughter. Wu still has sway over Longfor, however, which last year saw contracted sales rise 28.5% to $30 billion. The developer, which invests in both commercial and residential space, had a land bank of 70.93 million square meters as of June, with the majority of properties in high-demand areas of Tier 1 cities. The company’s stock is on a strong upward trend, rising 37% this year.