Li Lu is an investor and businessman who founded Himalaya Capital. He was born in China, but he currently resides in the United States. He studied at Columbia University where he listened to a lecture from Warren Buffett which inspired him to buy his first stocks. There were rumors that Li Lu would take over Warren Buffett's position at Berkshire Hathaway once Buffett steps down but in 2010 Li Lu withdrew himself from consideration for the job.
Li Lu portfolio highlights a focused investment approach centered on high-conviction growth and quality compounders, reflected in these top stocks. As part of his investment portfolio of stocks, Li Lu emphasizes durable business models, scalable platforms, and long-term value creation.
1. Alphabet Inc. (Class A) — A core investment in a leading global technology and advertising ecosystem. Investors often view this as exposure to digital advertising, cloud services, and operating leverage within a diversified tech portfolio.
2. PDD Holdings Inc. (ADR) — A growth-oriented investment tied to e-commerce and consumer internet. This holding signals interest in strong execution, platform scale, and expanding monetization in online retail and services.
3. Alphabet Inc. (Class C) — A second Alphabet stake underscores confidence in the company’s long-term trajectory and capital allocation. The dual-share-class positioning can reflect portfolio construction preferences within the same franchise.
4. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Class B) — A value and quality investment approach through a diversified holding company. This position reflects durable cash generation, disciplined underwriting/insurance influence, and long-horizon capital deployment.
5. East West Bancorp, Inc. — A financial-sector investment capturing exposure to regional banking fundamentals. This stock aligns with a preference for established franchises benefiting from interest-rate and credit-cycle dynamics.
Overall, Li Lu’s portfolio of stocks reflects a blend of technology growth and quality value, with investments spanning consumer platforms, diversified financial strength, and scalable earnings.
Li Lu was born and raised in Tangshan, China. He is a survivor of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. In 1985 he went to Nanjing University, majoring in physics, later switching to economics. In 1989, he participated in the student protests in Tiananmen Square (also known as the Tian'anmen Massacre) and became one of the student leaders. He helped organise the students and participated in a hunger strike. He fled the People's Republic of China with the help of the organisation Operation Yellowbird.
He left China to study at Columbia University in the United States. In 1990, he published a book about his experience with China entitled Moving the Mountain: My Life in China.