Visionary Leaders
They measure the business empire from the commanding heights of the era.
Cao Hui
“The essence of manufacturing is to strive for excellence, and there are no shortcuts.”
The most "low-key" successor: hiding his identity and taking root in the workshop for six full years
Cao Hui
Asia Cover Character｜Cao Hui: Don’t be the shadow of the Glass King, just stand for yourself
Asia's "Cover Character" Pattern
He is the son of the glass king Cao Dewang, and he is also the natural successor in the eyes of the outside world. Judging from his background, he stands at a starting point that is difficult for many people to reach, but Cao Hui spent decades in his life to carve out a path that is completely his own. He started from a grassroots workshop, went to the United States to win an anti-dumping lawsuit, and once left the family business to start his own business. He used real experience to prove that he did not want to live in the halo of his father's generation, and just wanted to rely on his own ability to get out of Cao Hui's life.
The most "low-key" successor: hiding his identity and taking root in the workshop for six full years
In an environment where many people rely on family background to gain convenience, Cao Hui has always maintained a simple state. The vehicle he uses daily is an old car left behind by his father in his early years, and there are not too many flashy decorations in his life. After graduation, he did not directly enter a management position, but entered the production line and worked hard in the workshop for six years.
In 1989, Cao Hui graduated from high school and entered Fuyao's production workshop according to his family's arrangement. He joined the company as an ordinary employee and, like other workers, completed various production tasks at his post. At that time, his monthly salary was 300 yuan, and he worked three shifts with the team and lived in a dormitory. The workshop environment is noisy, the temperature is high, and he is exposed to glass dust for a long time. His hands are calloused by repeated work. Colleagues around him only thought that this young man was down-to-earth and hard-working, and no one knew his true identity.
This experience at the grassroots level allowed Cao Hui to experience the true state of the manufacturing industry up close, and also made him understand that the foundation of the family business is slowly accumulated through product after product and persistence day by day.
Two rounds and six years of accumulation: from the front line of the workshop to overseas markets, everything starts from scratch
After working in the workshop for six years, Cao Hui gradually grew from a front-line employee to a workshop director based on his daily performance. Just when his work entered a stable stage, he received a new arrangement and went to Hong Kong to be responsible for the development of the sales market.
Facing new markets and businesses, Cao Hui learned from scratch, slowly built channels, connected with customers, and stayed in the sales position for six years. Two six-year-long grassroots experiences made him familiar with the real situation at both ends of the production and market, and also laid a solid foundation for him to deal with various challenges later.
Facing international anti-dumping cases: Standing up for Made in China on the international stage
In 2001, Fuyao encountered a far-reaching external challenge. Several industrial companies in the United States have jointly filed a lawsuit, and relevant local authorities have raised tariffs, which will put companies under additional cost pressure.
In this context, Cao Hui took the initiative and led a team to the United States to deal with relevant matters. He decided to actively respond through formal legal channels and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company.
On the one hand, he hired a team of local professional lawyers to sort out a large amount of information and cases to clarify the facts and rules; on the other hand, he maintained communication with local small and medium-sized dealers in the United States and established stable cooperative relationships. Over the past three years, the team continued to devote energy to advancing the case, and finally achieved a favorable result, and the decision to increase tariffs was revoked. The victory of this lawsuit not only reduces losses for Fuyao, but also allows Chinese entities to gain more recognition in the international market.
Taking the initiative to leave the family business: I don’t want to live under the halo, I just want to prove myself
After the victory in the international lawsuit, many people believed that Cao Hui would naturally enter the succession process. But he made a choice that surprised the outside world - leaving Fuyao and starting an independent business.
He hopes to use his own name to start a career of his own, rather than always being labeled as a family. He founded Sanfeng Group, built all resources and teams from scratch, and relied on his own strength to promote business throughout the process.
From finding a factory, building a team, to developing customers, Cao Hui participated in the entire process. After three years of operation, the company has achieved revenue of nearly 700 million yuan and maintained stable profitability. This experience allowed him to completely prove that he can also gain a foothold in the market without leaving the family platform.
A "sky-high price acquisition": hiding the most well-intentioned inheritance and growth
In 2018, Cao Dewang completed the acquisition of Sanfeng Group for 224 million yuan. To the outside world, this was just a business transaction, but Cao Hui knew in his heart that his father had cleared the fetters for him, allowing him to return to Fuyao without any dispute.
After returning, Cao Hui started as vice chairman and gradually took over the core business. The father intentionally reduced external support and allowed him to face problems and assume responsibilities independently. Cao Hui also gradually understood that true inheritance is not to directly own a ready-made career, but to have the ability and responsibility to carry out the career.
Officially taking over the baton: continuing to write a new chapter in the industry with hard work
Today, Cao Hui officially serves as the chairman of Fuyao Glass Group. Facing the industry trends of automobile intelligence and new energy, he proposed the development idea of "glass + data interface" and led the team to promote the research and development of AR double-bottom glass and other technologies, so as to upgrade traditional automobile glass to the direction of intelligent interaction.
In the first three quarters of 2025, Fuyao achieved revenue of 33.3 billion yuan, net profit increased by nearly 30% year-on-year, and cash flow increased significantly by 57%. Behind these achievements are the accumulation of grassroots experience, experience accumulated in international litigation, and the overall vision brought by independent entrepreneurship. Regarding his father's charity donation plan, Cao Hui always respects his father's decision. He insists that his own life path must be walked step by step by himself.
From being an anonymous workshop employee, to being the person in charge of the company, to being able to start his own business independently, Cao Hui spent half his life blazing a solid and determined path. He still maintains a simple living habit and often goes to the front line of the workshop. In his opinion, glass must be polished piece by piece, and the road must be moved forward step by step. True inheritance is never about inheriting wealth and status, but about continuing the industrial spirit. Don't be anyone's shadow, only stand for yourself, this is the answer that Cao Hui gave in his life.
[Abstract of public account]
As the son of a glass tycoon, Cao Hui refused the blessing of halo, started from the workshop, won international lawsuits through hard work, started an independent business, and finally took over Fuyao.
Data source
Cao Hui entered Fuyao's workshop in 1989, earning a monthly salary of 300 yuan, and remained anonymous for six years. His grassroots experience includes the official corporate development history of Fuyao Glass, public documentary interviews between Cao Dewang and Cao Hui, and special reports on characters in "Chinese Industrialist".
In 2001, Fuyao encountered a U.S. anti-dumping investigation, with tariffs raised by 2.13% and annual costs increased by US$9 million. Cao Hui led a team to the United States to respond to the lawsuit and countersued, and won the case three years later: the U.S. Department of Commerce’s official ruling announcement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce’s trade remedy case library, Fuyao Glass’s official case announcement and historical archives.
Cao Hui has been developing the sales market in Hong Kong for six years, from workshop director to overseas market leader: information on the development history of Fuyao Glass and in-depth reports by mainstream financial media.
Cao Hui founded Sanfeng Group, which achieved revenue of nearly 700 million yuan in three years and continued to make profits: announcements from Fuyao Glass-affiliated companies and field research reports by financial media.
In 2018, Cao Dewang acquired Sanfeng Group for 224 million yuan: Fuyao Glass listed company announcement, securities market public disclosure documents.
Cao Hui proposed the "glass + data interface" strategy and tackled AR double-bottom glass technology: Fuyao Glass's 2024-2025 annual strategy conference, technology patent announcement, and product innovation white paper.
Fuyao Glass's revenue in the first three quarters of 2025 was 33.3 billion yuan, net profit increased by nearly 30%, and cash flow increased by 57%: Fuyao Glass's official third quarter financial report for 2025, and public financial data on the A-share market.
Cao Dewang’s cumulative charity donations exceed 26 billion yuan, and he plans to donate shares worth 8 billion yuan. Related plans: Fuyao Group public welfare announcement, Hurun China Charity List, Forbes China Charity List, and official public welfare activity disclosure information.
Cao Hui’s personal business philosophy and related expressions of “Don’t borrow from family background, work independently”: Exclusive interviews with mainstream financial media, public speech records, and internal company information.
[1] Fuyao Glass official website, www.fuyaogroup.com
[2] "Cao Hui: In-depth analysis of industries related to Fuyao Glass", Annual Report of Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co., Ltd.
[3] Compilation of Cao Hui’s public speeches and media interviews
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