HONG KONG -- Even though Li & Fung had been a Hong Kong fixture for more than a century, CEO Spencer Fung never anticipated a cushy job when he took over the world's largest sourcing company in 2014.

Li & Fung thrived as a sourcing agent for western retailers but now faces headwinds. To revive its fortunes Chairman William Fung, left, and CEO Spencer Fung plan to take the company private. (Nikkei Montage/Source photo by Getty Images)
Century-old business icon pounded by e-commerce, coronavirus and protectionism