Ding Lei, The Head Of Netease: Ordinary Billionaire

Ding Lei, 38, is the head of China's third largest online game operator. He opened a pig farm in February this year, so as to witness the rapid development of China's Internet and maintain peace of mind.

According to Forbes magazine, Ding Lei is currently in the 2 billion 250 million place in China, ranking twenty-third in China's fortune list. Ding Lei became one of China's Internet pioneers since he founded NetEase in 1997.

More than ten years later, NetEase has become one of China's biggest Internet giants. Singleton Ding Lei has also stepped into the ranks of celebrities. Wherever they are, journalists and fans will catch up.

"Ding Lei encouraged a whole generation of young people to enter the Internet industry, and everyone wanted to be like him," said Edward Liu, an entrepreneur who joined Ding Lei in Beijing Internet Conference this week.

Besides Ding Lei, China's Internet ranks among the billionaires, as well as Alibaba founder Ma Yun and Baidu founder Robin Li.

Ding Lei was born in Zhejiang Province, a well-known entrepreneur. He studied engineering in University and worked in Sybase and other companies after graduation.

In the second quarter of 2009, Tencent, which came from behind, surpassed NetEase and became the second largest online game website in China.

Just like Ding Lei himself's name, in the changing Internet market of China, what entrepreneurs need most is firmness and perseverance.

In 2001, NetEase faced a "delisting risk" because it failed to submit annual reports. In 2003, China launched a campaign to clean up mobile pornography, and NetEase's share price collapsed.

Recently, the General Administration of press and publication announced the termination of the approval of World of Warcraft, which is a potential game for NetEase.

Ding Lei, who is familiar with Ding Lei's sources, is using all means to hope that this government related examination and approval contest will end as soon as possible.

"He is a very principled person and will not do anything irregularities for the convenience of the company. We are waiting for the result," the anonymous source said.

Ding Lei always wore casual jeans and sports shoes to attend the meeting, which made him more conspicuous among many of the participants. Now outside the network, Ding Lei has been working on pig raising, trying to find peace.

"This is not an investment of NetEase, nor is it an additional way of making profits. I just hope to increase food safety and increase employment opportunities for the countryside," Ding Lei said shortly after he founded the pig farm.