Chinese business magnate Pan Shi Yi is a real estate developer who was born on November 14, 1963 in Tianshui, Gansu Province, China. He graduated from the Hebei Technical College of Petroleum Profession in 1982. He worked at the former Ministry of Petroleum until 1987 , when he decided to venture in to Shenzhen and Hainan in order to start a career in real estate.

In 1992, Mr. Pan Shi Yi co-founded Beijing Vantone Co, Ltd, a developer that is now listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. In 1995, he co-founded SOHO China along with his wife Zhang Xin. It is the largest prime office real estate developer in China which is known for developing iconic landmark buildings in Beijing and Shanghai.

Pan Shi Yi's attitude towards life and work has led him to becoming a public role model and a star in the eyes of the media. He is regarded as a modern day rags to riches success story with his entrepreneurial accomplishments.

Pan Shi Yi was also one of the first advocates of the digital revolution and social media in China. He used his personal blog and Sina Weibo, the Chinese version of twitter, in order to successfully promote the SOHO brand. Currently, his Weibo account has close to 16 million followers. He also makes video broadcasts and holds online chats regularly. He has been a keynote speaker at events like the World Economic Forum, Asia Leadership Forum and Boao Forum for Asia.

In 2004 and 2006, Pan Shi Yi was honored as one of the Top Ten Influential Figures in Real Estate Industry by sina.com. In 2005, he was one of the Top Ten Influential Figures in Real Estate Industry by sohu.com. In 2008, he was named China Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in the Real Estate category. He was chosen by sina.com as the 2009 Real Estate Person of the Year.

He and his wife co-founded the SOHO China Foundation, a charitable organization which aims to provide aid to underdeveloped regions with lacking resources as well as the initiatives focused on education.