As seen by Shou Zi Chew’s professional path, even the CEO of TikTok began modestly. Before he was in charge of one of the largest social media networks in the world, he was an intern at Facebook, working directly under Mark Zuckerberg. How about a moment of full circle!
Singapore-born and raised, Chew attended University College London to obtain a degree in economics before enrolling in Harvard Business School to obtain an MBA. Facebook was still a new, emerging digital business when he got a summer internship there while he was a Harvard student. Facebook was the name of it, Chew said in an interview.
Currently, TikTok, Zuckerberg’s largest rival on social media, is created by Chew. As Chief Financial Officer, he joined ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, in 2021. He took on both positions at first before concentrating entirely on the short-form video app after being appointed TikTok’s CEO later that year.
Chew’s journey is a perfect example of using intelligence and tenacity to move up the business ladder. His portfolio is as impressive as TikTok’s user population, ranging from overseeing international operations at Xiaomi to managing investments at Goldman Sachs.
It’s safe to say that a man who once worked as an intern at Facebook is now seriously challenging his former boss. Shou Zi Chew is a living example of how an intern can occasionally become the boss—and possibly the competition—as TikTok continues to rule the social media landscape.
