Our annual ranking of Asia's 100 richest families

Retirement is a dirty word for many of Asia's tycoons. Rather than taking time out to spend their hard-earned cash, the region's ultra-rich are still hard at work earning more.

"In Asia, in many instances, the patriarch or creator of the wealth is still alive and still driving decision-making," said Joe Field, a New York-based senior international partner at law firm Withers, which specialises in advice for high-net-worth individuals.

Indeed, almost half of the founders on our list of the top 100 richest people in Asia based on dividend payouts are still actively involved in the companies they built. Field attributed this to the fact that "wealth in Asia is a more recent phenomenon compared to wealth in Europe and the US".

While the newness of Asian wealth is well-covered, what may still be surprising is that many of Asia's rich want day-to-day involvement in their businesses despite being more than 60 years old. On our list, the oldest founder with an active involvement in his company is Run Run Shaw of Shaw Brothers. He is 101.

The approach to investing is different when the creator of the wealth is in charge. Subsequent generations, who inherit the wealth, are often focused on wealth preservation, rather than on growing the riches.

"In Asia, we often see a higher risk appetite, as the generation that has built up the wealth is still the one deciding how to deploy capital," said Kenny Ho, Asia-Pacific head of products at Julius Baer. "Many of Asia's rich have been able to multiply their capital in their businesses and that is the benchmark they have in their minds when entrusting their money to a wealth manager."

The appetite for risk enabled Asia's 100 richest families to add $8.6 billion to their bank balance, our analysis shows. When we first started compiling the rich list in 2002, the combined dividend income of Asia's 100 richest families was $2.24 billion. This year's payout is almost four times the amount dispersed in 2002 and 20% up on last year.

Our ranking is based on dividends. We work out how dividend income streams through listed companies to the controlling family. We then take an average of currency rates through the calendar year to convert local currencies into US dollars.

It's increasingly difficult to make it onto our list. In 2007 a dividend payout of just over $7 million earned a place among the elite. By 2008 the cut-off had increased 14% year-on-year to slightly more than $8 million. This year, scraping on to our list at number 100 required a dividend payout of almost $16 million, almost double last year's.

We rely on audited annual reports from the previous financial year, which means this year's list is based on 2008 figures. Consider that while declaring dividends for financial 2008, companies had not yet suffered the worst of the financial crisis and so were still willing to be generous in rewarding minority shareholders - and themselves.

Pole position on our rich list continues to be held by Taiwan's Wang family, founders and owners of the Formosa plastics empire. The $466 million Formosa paid the Wangs was enough for the family to retain the top slot for the fourth consecutive year.

Even though the Wang family stays on top, the composition of our top three changed for the first time in five years. India's Tata family took a leap, moving to number two. The Tatas earned 60% more dividend income than last year, pocketing $423 million, slightly lower than the Wangs' payout.

The Tata group is followed at number three by the Kuoks, owners of Kerry Properties, who ousted rival Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing from the top three. The Li family now stands at number five.