Shou Zi Chew is a prominent figure in the technology industry who has contributed significantly to the success of some of the world's most famous brands. He has held key executive positions at companies such as Xiaomi and ByteDance, where he currently serves as CEO of TikTok.
Chew was born and raised in Malaysia before moving to the United States to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He studied economics and then received an MBA from Harvard Business School. His education in economics and business management paved the way for his successful career in the technology industry.
Chew's career began at investment bank Goldman Sachs, where he worked in the investment banking division for several years before becoming a partner at DST Global. It was at DST Global that he first became involved with the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi. As an early investor, he helped the company raise billions in funding and become one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world.
After leaving DST Global, Chew became Xiaomi's CFO, where he helped the company go public and expand its product offering beyond smartphones to include smart home devices, laptops and more. He was widely regarded as one of the key players in Xiaomi's success.
In 2019, Chew was named CFO of ByteDance, the parent company of the popular short video app TikTok. A year later, he was named CEO of TikTok, taking over from company founder Zhang Yiming. Chew's appointment comes at a critical time for the company, as it has faced intense scrutiny from governments around the world over data privacy and national security concerns.
Under Chew's leadership, TikTok continues to grow in popularity and the app will reach over a billion active users in 2021. Chew has focused on building strong relationships with regulators and lawmakers to address privacy and data security concerns. He also emphasized the importance of transparency and responsibility in the functioning of the company.
In addition to his role at TikTok, Chew serves on the board of several companies, including gaming company Sea Limited and e-commerce platform Lazada. He is also a member of the Young Global Leaders program of the World Economic Forum.
Thanks to his impressive results and extensive experience in the technology industry, he has become a recognized figure in the business world. As CEO of TikTok, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the challenges facing the company and ensuring its continued success.