Chinese investor and businessman Zhang Chaoyang has an estimated net worth of $425 million in 2013.

Known as Charles Zhang internationally, Zhang Chaoyang is considered as one of the Internet pioneers in China. He graduated from Tsinghua University where he completed his degree in physics. He also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to complete his PhD in Experimental Physics. After graduation, he started serving as the liaison officer of MIT to China. Two years later, he began working for Internet Securities Inc. (ISI). Eventually, he developed the idea of establishing his own Internet search engine company. This led to the development of Internet Technologies China (ITC) in 1996.

In 1997, ITC was renamed to Sohu. Three years later, the company was listed on NASDAQ Stock Market. With a market value estimated at $2 billion, Sohu is now considered as one of the most popular Chinese Internet stocks today.