From the Port of Rotterdam to the retailer Superdrug, and from London’s electricity grid to the mobile network Three, one thing is clear: Li Ka-shing is not sentimental.
Hong Kong’s most prominent tycoon has racked up tens of billions in disposals over the past few years, including the planned sale of his global ports, which would have netted about $19bn in cash but has run into a political storm because two of them are on the Panama Canal.
All of the wheeler-dealing raises questions about why the Li family wants to sell, what they plan to do with the money, and whether minority shareholders in their conglomerate, which trades at a sizeable discount to net asset value, will enjoy better returns.