Shere Khan

Cutthroat businessman and an entrepreneur with a taste for power, Shere Khan is one of the most influential and feared individuals in the corporate world. The chairman and CEO of the multi-billion-dollar megacorporation Khan Industries, Shere Khan is a cunning and ruthless professional with a thirst for corporate dealings. He is no one to be trifled with — Khan goes after what he wants, and usually gets it.

Shere Khan is a monarch of the economic realm. Known only as "Mr. Khan" to those who dare address him, he is quiet, calculating, and extremely reserved. Taciturn and thoughtful, Shere Khan never acts recklessly or impulsively during his business dealings, almost to the point of showing absolutely no emotion whatsoever. However, once his anger is roused he can become a formidable adversary. Every matter presented to Khan is given the utmost consideration before a decision is reached — and that decision is final.

Business is Shere Khan's life. Since childhood, Khan has harbored a fascination with the intricate workings of corporate management and finance, thus explaining his apparently instinctive skill at handling business affairs. Shere Khan spends most of the day in his office, often working late nights when 16-hour shift employees normally return home. Staff meetings are held on a regular basis so Khan can personally review profit reports and market analyses; sometimes these meeting stretch far into the early-morning hours! So entwined is Khan's life with his work that he literally never leaves the office — a penthouse built directly above his office gives Khan immediate access to both his living quarters and command post at all times.

Khan's other fascination is technology. As chairman of Khan Industries, Shere Khan realizes the incredible potential in the growth of the aviation industry. The key to making a profit lies in advancing the state of the art ahead of the competition. Khan's heavy emphasis on the development of new technologies and aircraft designs has proven quite profitable indeed, making Khan Industries one of the leaders in air transport, power, and electronics. Khan himself is quite knowledgeable about planes and is well-versed in several aspects of the aviation industry.

Above: An ardent advocate of aviation, Shere Khan invests his fortune in the future of flight.

Left: Anger management.

Shere Khan has a taste for the finer things of life, right down to the gold Roarlex wristwatch he wears. Everything Khan possesses is incredibly expensive — a paperweight valued at three thousand dollars is a trifle compared to one of Khan's four-thousand dollar neckties. His expensive taste is manifested in his office decor: twin waterfalls and elaborate wall designs complement a lush private garden containing several rare species of tropical plants which Khan himself tends to in his spare time. Unfortunately, when Khan's anger rises, he usually takes it out on the office furniture; the cost of repairing shredded desktops and armrests has become a part of the company's annual budget.

Shere Khan’s main desire is to possess money and power. These motives are the driving force behind Khan’s every action, and the reason that Khan Industries has achieved such overwhelming success. Cold and calculating, Khan leaves nothing to chance in his plans, right down to the most intricate details. Khan is well known for his ability to consider his options and act on them. He is a master of high-stakes corporate gambling, weighing the odds and placing his bets accordingly — and seldom losing.

Given his own imposing reputation and the might of a corporation behind him, Khan is an expert at getting what he wants, and will go through any channels — legal or otherwise — to accomplish his goals. Few souls there are who dare to come between Khan and his objectives. Not many individuals are brave enough (or stupid enough) to risk the wrath of Khan.

While Khan is ruthless and unrelenting in the way he does business, he does place limits on the lengths he will go to acquire wealth. Khan shuns the petty squabbling of his competitors, placing high value instead on a personal code that lets him justify his actions while maintaining a certain degree of honor. Shere Khan's self-prescribed business philosophy, described below in basic form, offers a concise view of his attitudes and mindset.

To Shere Khan’s mind, the business world is like a jungle. There are predators and prey — Khan Industries and its competitors, respectively — who live in a teeming, thriving environment with untapped potentials and remote regions just waiting to be explored. There is no law to this jungle except the laws of nature, the tendency of the strong to prey upon the weak. Predators strike their prey and each other silently and swiftly, and should seldom need to strike a second time.

Of Shere Khan’s many mottoes, the one he most solemnly lives by is, "Always repay your debts, and never break a deal." This twofold principle is the foundation upon which rest all of Khan's achievements. To this day, Khan has never been known to break a promise or renege on an agreement made with others. As far as debts go, the great Shere Khan has never failed to repay a debt. For that matter, he has never been known to actually owe anybody anything! Obviously Khan places great importance on this particular principle — perhaps it holds some deeper personal meaning for him.

Since Khan Industries has grown so vast, small competitors are of little concern to its chairman. In Khan’s mind, he and his company are too important to bother with the likes of independent shipping firms — unless it is in his best interest to meddle. Although these smaller businesses are nothing compared to the awesome Khan Industries, their puny size will not stop Khan from occasionally manipulating them to his advantage.

Shere Khan is an expert commander, able to control his subordinates with complete authority. In return, his men obey their leader and carry out his instructions to the letter. Khan’s employees have a startling loyalty and commitment to their company that surpasses a mere desire for monetary compensation. To his pilots and lackeys, Shere Khan is the ideal of a stern, demanding captain whose views are to be embraced and his word heeded. To those within the corporate ranks, however, Khan is viewed as cold, callous and unfeeling, bloodthirsty; the word "vampire" springs to mind. Fear motivates some — respect, others — but to all, the power of Khan is an effective motivation for their obedience.

In Cape Suzette, Khan wields considerable influence. Most of the city, however grudgingly, owes its livelihood to Khan Industries through the many services it provides. As a result, Shere Khan practically runs Cape Suzette, a fact which puts him at a great advantage over the city government. In exchange for this position of power, Khan provides weapons and planes for the Cape Suzette shore patrol squadrons and may personally coordinate the city's defenses during a crisis.

While Shere Khan may limit the degree to which he exercises his power, he is not above using unscrupulous methods to accomplish his goals. In his position of authority, Khan is a law unto himself, which allows him to operate clandestinely without fear of the law. There were times when Khan was suspect of highly illegal activities — such as cooperating with Air Pirates to stage a fuel shortage — but somehow he managed to avoid blame through a fast cover-up. Khan is a master at covering his bases, often working through subordinates or trustworthy hires to allay suspicion. He almost never becomes directly involved.

Though Khan is perfectly content as one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, the question of an heir arises. Shere Khan has not yet determined who will inherit his vast financial empire upon his passing. Having no close family ties, Khan is in need of someone whom he can mentor. Prospects are slim — not many individuals share the same mindset that Khan has — but Khan is apparently keeping his options open. Until someone else takes his place, Shere Khan stands alone as the most powerful figure in the corporate world.