Who is the CEO of TikTok?

Shou Zi Chew is the CEO of TikTok. ByteDance appointed the Singaporean executive to lead TikTok in April 2021, after he had served as ByteDance’s chief financial officer.

Chew previously worked in investment banking and venture capital before becoming chief financial officer of Xiaomi in 2015. He joined ByteDance as CFO in 2021 and brought experience in technology finance, international expansion, and corporate strategy to TikTok’s top leadership role.

He succeeded Kevin Mayer, who had served as TikTok CEO for only a few months in 2020, and followed interim leader Vanessa Pappas. Chew became especially prominent in 2023 when he testified before the United States Congress about TikTok’s data practices, ownership, and child-safety policies.

A current organizational distinction can cause confusion: Adam Presser leads the separate TikTok USDS joint venture in the United States, while Shou Zi Chew remains the CEO of TikTok’s global business.