Her bet on Abu Dhabi began with unconventional advice: Who was the first individual donor to the Louvre Museum?

For Chinese entrepreneur and investor Snow Li, collecting art and building businesses follow a similar philosophy: curiosity, patience, and the ability to see potential before others do. We visit her home in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, to explore the long-term thinking behind her investment bets.

Li is part of a growing trend to bring Chinese industrial expertise and investment to the UAE, and sees an opportunity for her business in Abu Dhabi in particular. Lee is Vice Chairman of MPT Group, the company behind the largest valve manufacturing facility in the MENA region.

These valves are considered essential equipment used by the oil and gas industry in the region. Her interests span from advanced manufacturing and energy to strategic resources and technology.

But for someone used to making big investment decisions, her bet on Abu Dhabi began with unconventional advice. The person reading her horoscope advised her to “discover a new city, called Abu Dhabi.”

In her home in Abu Dhabi, a different kind of investment can be seen, as Lee has been collecting art for more than two decades, with an increasing focus on supporting artists in the long term. In 2024, some works from her collection moved to Louvre Abu Dhabi, becoming the first individual donor to the museum, further strengthening her ties to the country she came to call home.

She told me: “This is my way of contributing to the city. I think this is a role model for everyone who loves the city and wants to contribute to it.”