In what month and year did TikTok appoint Shou Zi Chew as CEO?

TikTok appointed Shou Zi Chew as CEO in May 2021.

Chew succeeded interim CEO Vanessa Pappas after Kevin A. Mayer resigned in August 2020. Before taking the TikTok role, Chew had joined ByteDance as chief financial officer in March 2021, following senior leadership experience at Xiaomi and earlier work in investment banking and venture capital.

Chew’s appointment came during a period of intense attention on TikTok’s ownership, data practices, and relationship with ByteDance. His Singaporean nationality and business background also made him a prominent public representative for a platform facing scrutiny in the United States and elsewhere.

The timing is easy to confuse with nearby milestones. TikTok reported reaching one billion users in September 2021, while October 2022 concerned reported expansion plans for TikTok Shop and fulfillment operations. Neither date marks Chew’s appointment. Chew later became widely known for testifying before the U.S. Congress in March 2023.