5 facts about TikTok’s Singaporean CEO who attended Trump inauguration

Born and raised in Singapore, Shou’s prominence has risen amid ongoing debates about TikTok’s future in the U.S., where the app faces the threat of a nationwide ban.

Tatler Asia highlights five key facts about his life and career.

Met Donald Trump before the inauguration

Shou privately met Trump at the latter’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the U.S., on Dec. 16, 2024, CNN reported.

The meeting followed Trump’s recent suggestion to reverse his earlier push to ban TikTok in 2020. Trump told reporters: "I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok."

Prestigious educational background

Shou graduated from Singapore’s Hwa Chong Institution in 1999, earned a degree in economics from University College London (the U.K.) in 2006, and completed his MBA at Harvard Business School in the U.S. in 2010.

He and his wife, Vivian Kao, have supported Harvard over the years by assisting with fundraising and serving on alumni boards.

Shou Zi Chew during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing in Washington, D.C., in March 2023. Photo by Reuters

Met his wife at Harvard Business School

Shou first met Kao, an American of Taiwanese descent, via email in 2008 while they were both studying at Harvard.

They married after graduating in 2010 and have two children.

Purchased an exclusive Singapore property

In 2021 Shou reportedly purchased a Good Class Bungalow in Queen Astrid Park, one of Singapore’s most affluent areas, for S$86 million (US$63 million).

The property spreads over 30,000 sq. ft, making it one of Singapore’s most exclusive homes, according to Business Times.

Started as ByteDance’s chief financial officer

Shou joined ByteDance, TikTok's China-based parent company in 2021 as chief financial officer. Within three months he was promoted as TikTok’s CEO, a position he still holds.

His leadership came after ByteDance’s acquisition of Musical.ly and its merger with TikTok, creating a global phenomenon.