- TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew leads the company through turbulent times amidst potential US ban.
- Chew defends TikTok’s practices before Congress.
- He calls for user support, highlighting the ban’s potential impact on creators and businesses.
From Facebook intern to TikTok’s top exec
Shou Zi Chew, the 41-year-old CEO of TikTok, began his journey at Facebook a startup. After earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University College London, he pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School.
There, he met his wife, Vivian Kao, and the couple now has three children. Chew’s impressive resume includes stints at Goldman Sachs, investment firm DST, and Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi, where he served CFO and international business president.
Chew joined ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, in March 2021 the first person to fill the role of chief financial officer.
Just two months later, he was named CEO of TikTok, succeeding Kevin Mayer, who had left after a brief three-month tenure amidst pressure from lawmakers over security concerns.
Chew eventually stepped down ByteDance’s CFO to focus solely on running TikTok, addressing concerns about user data sharing the Chinese government.
Facing the ban battle head-on
The US government has been considering a potential ban on TikTok, and Chew has been at the forefront of defending the company.
In March 2023, he testified before Congress about TikTok’s privacy and data security practices, though his efforts were met mixed reactions. recently passed bill in the House of Representatives could force TikTok to divest or sell to a US-based company within 180 days to avoid a ban.
Chew has called for users to voice their opposition to lawmakers, emphasizing the potential impact on creators, small businesses, and American jobs.
