100万变12亿！90后华裔金融女，悄悄干成新西兰女首富

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the remarkable success story of Lucy Liu, a 35-year-old Chinese financial entrepreneur who became New Zealand's first female billionaire, with a net worth of 700 million NZD (approximately 3 billion CNY) through her investment in Airwallex, a cross-border payment company [4][10]. Group 1: Investment Journey - Lucy Liu invested 1 million USD in Airwallex at the age of 25, acquiring a 20% stake, which has now yielded over 1200 times return on her investment [6][10]. - Airwallex, co-founded by four Chinese entrepreneurs, has achieved a valuation exceeding 6.2 billion USD (approximately 44.6 billion CNY) after multiple funding rounds, including a recent 300 million USD Series F round [9][10]. - The company has experienced significant growth, with an annual revenue of 720 million USD, representing a 90% year-on-year increase, and is projected to reach 1 billion USD in annual revenue by 2025 [16]. Group 2: Background and Early Career - Lucy Liu was born in Northern China and moved to New Zealand at the age of 12, where she developed an early interest in finance due to her family's background [14]. - She began investing in stocks at 18, achieving a 100% return on her first investment in Minsheng Bank within six months [15]. - After obtaining a master's degree in finance from the University of Melbourne, she worked in various financial roles before co-founding Airwallex in 2015 [6][15]. Group 3: Company Development and Achievements - Airwallex has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing fintech companies globally and was awarded the HR Asia 2023 Best Employer in Asia [4][10]. - The company has successfully navigated challenges in securing funding, initially facing rejections from several venture capital firms before receiving support from Gobi Partners and later from major investors like Sequoia and Mastercard [8][9]. - Liu has played a multifaceted role in the company, contributing to various functions beyond her initial investment, and has been instrumental in its rapid growth and success [16].