Wang Jian, the chairman of Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, has died in France, the company says.
Wang, 57, sustained serious injuries during a fall and died on Tuesday, HNA said in a statement on its official WeChat account.
It did not provide further details about the accident.
However, France Bleu, a French public broadcaster, reported a man fitting Wang's description had died that morning after falling a dozen metres from a wall while trying to take photos of a nearby forest.
The man was reportedly travelling with a group of other tourists in Vaucluse, Provence in southeastern France. He was identified as the 57-year-old Chinese "owner of an aviation company" by France Bleu.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
HNA Group grew from Hainan Airlines, founded in 1993, into a Fortune 500 company with assets in aviation, tourism and financial services.
The company has been in the news in recent months for offloading $US14.5 billion ($A19.6 billion) in assets, including large stakes in Hilton Worldwide and Deutsche Bank, to tackle sprawling debts, according to the South China Morning Post.
In a condolence statement, HNA's board and management described Wang as a "beacon for all who had the good fortune to know him."
Wang co-founded HNA Group and previously served as the company's chief executive officer, according to HNA's website.
