Shou Zi Chew — the TikTok CEO who was grilled on Capitol Hill as US lawmakers from each parties push for a possible nationwide ban of the favored video-sharing app — has shown he can face the warmth as a Singapore Army veteran and Harvard business school graduate.
Calls for a TikTok ban have escalated in recent days as a consequence of concerns the app, owned by Beijing-based parent company ByteDance, poses a risk to national security.
Critics are also concerned about TikTok’s content moderation practices and potential harm to underage users on the platform.
TikTok’s popularity has complicated the situation. The app has greater than 150 million users within the US alone and has rapidly emerged as a significant rival to more established social media platforms equivalent to Facebook and Snapchat.
Who’s TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew?
Chew, 40, was born in Singapore in 1983. He attended an elite highschool and accomplished mandatory military service within the country before attending University College London, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He remains to be a reservist within the Singaporean army.
Chew is married to investment firm executive Vivian Kao, whom he met at Harvard University. The couple has two children.
Chew began his stint at ByteDance as the corporate’s CFO in March 2021. He was appointed CEO of TikTok later that yr and replaced former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, who resigned from the post just three months after he took the job.
Where did Chew work prior to TikTok?
After a stint serving in Singapore’s military, Chew joined on as an investment banker for Goldman Sachs in London. Chew eventually received an MBA from Harvard University and worked as an intern at Facebook.
Later, Chew joined the enterprise capital firm DST Global, where his fluency in Mandarin allowed him to change into its “China-focused partner,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
During his tenure on the firm, Chew led a bunch that were among the many earliest investors in ByteDance in 2013.
Chew also worked at Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, where he held the title of CFO and other roles, before joining TikTok parent ByteDance.
Why did Chew testify before US Congress?
The House Energy and Commerce Committee called on Chew to testify about TikTok’s “consumer privacy and data security practices, the platforms’ impact on kids, and their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.”
The March 23 hearing marked the primary time that Chew has publicly appeared on Capitol Hill to handle concerns concerning the app.
Lawmakers from each parties have called for a ban on TikTok, arguing it allows China to listen in on Americans and puts US user data in danger.
How much is Chew value?
Chew’s net value will not be publicly known. During his appearance on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 23, Chew acknowledged that he received a salary from privately held TikTok and likewise participated in ByteDance’s stock-based compensation plan.
Who owns TikTok?
TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. The corporate says that 60% of its shares are owned by global investors, while 20% are held by founders and 20% by employees.
