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CEO, TikTok
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Shou Zi Chew (born 1 January 1983) is a Singaporean business executive who has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of TikTok since 2021. Known for his background in international investment and his navigation of complex global regulatory landscapes, Chew has become one of the most visible figures in the technology industry, particularly regarding his management of the short-form video platform amidst geopolitical scrutiny. Born and raised in Singapore to parents who worked in the construction and bookkeeping industries, Chew’s early academic success led him to the Hwa Chong Institution. Following his graduation, he completed his mandatory National Service as an officer in the Singapore Armed Forces. Chew then moved to the United Kingdom, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from University College London (UCL) in 2006. He subsequently moved to the United States, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School in 2010. During his time at Harvard, he completed a summer internship at Facebook, an experience that provided him with early exposure to the social media landscape. Chew’s professional career began in finance, where he worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in London for two years. He later joined the venture capital firm DST Global, founded by Yuri Milner. As a partner at DST Global, Chew played a pivotal role in identifying and investing in emerging Chinese technology giants, including Alibaba, JD.com, and Xiaomi. It was during this period that he led a team of early investors in ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, in 2013, establishing a long-term professional relationship with the company's founders. In 2015, Chew joined Xiaomi as its chief financial officer, where he was instrumental in the company’s growth and its successful initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He later served as the president of Xiaomi’s international department, further solidifying his reputation as an executive adept at managing cross-border operations and international expansion. In March 2021, Chew joined ByteDance as its chief financial officer. Shortly thereafter, in May 2021, he was appointed CEO of TikTok, succeeding Kevin A. Mayer. Since assuming the role, Chew has overseen a period of massive global growth for the platform, which has surpassed one billion users. However, his tenure has been largely defined by navigating intensifying regulatory challenges and geopolitical tensions, particularly in the United States, where lawmakers have expressed concerns regarding data privacy, security, and the platform’s ownership by a Chinese-based company. Chew has been the primary public face of the company’s defensive efforts, including testifying before the United States Congress in 2023 and 2024 to address national security concerns and advocate for the company’s operational independence via initiatives such as "Project Texas." Chew maintains a private personal life, though he has occasionally shared details regarding his family. He is married to Vivian Kao, a Taiwanese-American businesswoman whom he met while they were both students at Harvard Business School. The couple resides in Singapore and has three children. Chew is known for being a strategic, analytical leader, and his career trajectory from a financial analyst to the helm of a globally influential social media platform is widely regarded as a significant case study in international tech leadership.
CEO of TikTok, managing the fastest-growing social media platform in human history, fundamentally disrupting the global dominance of Meta and Google
Testified extensively before hostile US Congressional committees, maintaining a highly composed, viral presence that ironically made him a massively popular 'hero' figure among TikTok's Gen Z user base
Universally accused by the US defense and intelligence establishment of operating TikTok as a massive data-harvesting espionage tool and psychological warfare apparatus for the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the historic 2024 ban/divestiture legislation
Criticized by child psychologists and mental health professionals who argue the TikTok algorithm is intentionally designed to be highly addictive, fueling eating disorders, anxiety, and depression among teenage users
Faced massive internal leaks indicating that despite Project Texas (the initiative to store US data locally on Oracle servers), ByteDance engineers in Beijing continued to access the private data of US citizens and journalists
News articles featuring Shou Zi Chew
Successfully launched TikTok Shop, integrating aggressive e-commerce directly into the short-form video feed, creating a massive new revenue vertical
Served as the Chief Financial Officer of Xiaomi, executing one of the largest tech IPOs in history in 2018
Graduated from University College London with a Bachelor of Science in Economics in 2006.
Began his career as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in London in 2006.
Earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2010.
Completed a summer internship at Facebook in 2009 while pursuing his MBA.
Joined the venture capital firm DST Global as a partner around 2010, where he led investments in major tech companies including Alibaba, JD.com, and Xiaomi.
Led a team of early investors in ByteDance in 2013.
Joined Xiaomi as Chief Financial Officer in 2015.
Oversaw Xiaomi's successful initial public offering (IPO) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018.
Appointed as the President of International Business at Xiaomi in 2019.
Joined ByteDance as its first Chief Financial Officer in March 2021.
Appointed as the CEO of TikTok in May 2021.
Named to Fortune's 40 Under 40 list in 2021.
Testified before the United States Congress regarding TikTok's data security and operations in March 2023.
Named to the TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2023.
Served as an honorary chairperson of the Met Gala in 2024.
Recognized as one of the most impactful Asians by Gold House in 2024.
In March 2023, Chew testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he faced intense, hours-long bipartisan questioning regarding TikTok’s data privacy practices, potential surveillance risks, and the company's relationship with the Chinese government.
In late 2022, it was confirmed that ByteDance employees improperly accessed the data of U.S. journalists to track their movements; Chew oversaw the internal investigation and acknowledged the breach, which significantly eroded trust with U.S. lawmakers.
Throughout 2024, Chew led a public lobbying campaign against the 'Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,' which mandates the divestiture of TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban in the United States.
Since taking the role of CEO, Chew has consistently faced allegations from U.S. and European officials that the TikTok platform is a tool for Chinese Communist Party influence and propaganda, claims which he has repeatedly denied while asserting the app's independence.