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#149 - After climbing the peak of China's Elite, Desmond Shum had to flee his country of birth out of fear of being disappeared.
 
He was on the inside of the political apparatus along with his former wife, a multi billionaire who would later go on to be disappeared, and together, but in the years before they built their empire of the backs of being cosy with the most powerful elites right up the tippy top of the CCP mountains-cape. 

These relationships coupled with an incredible ambition and nouse for business led Desmond to multiple business deals that were not only extremely lucrative, but also interesting as a case study into the tide lifting all boats phenomenon that was a booming china ins the early 2000’s.

• 00:00 – Introduction
• 05:13 - Dealing With Abuse & The Chinese Caste System
• 16:39 - Status, Vanity, Social Awareness & How Desmond Used It To His Advantage
• 31:13 - Navigating China's Politics & Attention To Detail
• 37:19 - Corruption & Guanxi
• 49:13 - Desmond's Lifestyle When He Was At The Top
• 53:48 - Dynastic Wealth & Desmond's Relationship With Whitney & His Son
• 58:58 - Whitney's Disappearance
• 1:04:13 - Whitney's Elite Guanxi
• 1:12:18 - Desmonds Biggest Deals & The Tide That Lifts All Boats
• 1:26:13 - Whitney's Disappearance
• 1:29:28 - How Rich Chinese Hide Their Money  
• 1:38:03 - Does Desmond Still Feared Being Disappeared?
• 1:39:23 - Fallout After Publishing Book & Discussing Jack Ma
• 1:45:43 - China's Future
• 1:47:23 - 'I Signed My Life Away When I Decided To Publish The Book'

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Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Geoff Raby