David Tang, Founder of Pacific Cigar Co., Dies at 63

Sir David Tang, the founder and chairman of Pacific Cigar Co., which distributes Habanos S.A. cigars throughout the Asia Pacific region, has died at the age of 63 after an extended battle with liver cancer.

One of Tang’s earliest ventures was the creation of the China Club in 1991, a members-only club in Hong Kong that was well-known for its collection of art and interior design.

The following year, Tang formed PCC Hong Kong, a holding company for a number of businesses that are tied into the Pacific Cigar Co. business, which includes a distribution company, retail stores, and the Siglo brand, which produces a range of cigar accessories. The company also operates a premium spirits and Champagne distribution business.

Beyond cigars, Tang was also a well-known socialite, restaurateur and columnist for the Financial Times. He taught philosophy and English at Peking University, and founded the fashion label Shanghai Tang, among other entities.

In 2008, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his charity work.

Tang was recently in the news for inviting friends to the Dorchester Hotel in England for what was being called a farewell party, as he knew he was in poor health and that he had only a month or two to live. He succumbed to his illness on Tuesday night at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea.

 

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