Cher Wang
Cher Wang | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 15, 1958 Taipei, Taiwan |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, business leader |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Known for | Co-founder and chairperson of HTC Corporation; co-founder of VIA Technologies |
| Spouse | Wen Chi Chen |
Cher Wang (; born 15 September 1958) is a prominent Taiwanese entrepreneur and business leader. She has served as co-founder and chairperson of HTC Corporation since 2007, as well as the integrated chipset manufacturer VIA Technologies, positioning her among the leading women in the technology sector.[1] Wang is the daughter of Wang Yung-ching, the founder of the plastics and petrochemical giant Formosa Plastics Group and one of Taiwan’s wealthiest figures prior to his passing in 2008.[2] In 2014, Forbes placed her at number 54 on its list of the world's most powerful women.[3]
Early life and education
Born in Taipei, Taiwan on 15 September 1958, Wang completed part of her schooling abroad at College Preparatory School in Oakland, California. She later graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1981.
Career
Wang began her professional journey at First International Computer (FIC) in 1982. She went on to co-found VIA Technologies in 1987 and HTC in 1997, both of which focus heavily on smartphone technology. In May 2011, Forbes recognized Wang and her husband Wen Chi Chen as Taiwan’s wealthiest individuals with an estimated net worth of US$8.8 billion. By August 2012, she was ranked 56th on Forbes’ list of The World’s Most Powerful Women, improving to 54th by 2014.
VIA's VT3421 chip (also referred to as TF376), designed as an anti-hacking solution, became embroiled in controversy over accusations that it facilitated Chinese government surveillance targeting activists. This led to multiple legal proceedings resulting in substantial fines against VIA. In October 2014, Wang challenged the arbitration's Final Award on grounds related to public policy; however, in June 2015, the Hong Kong High Court sent the matter back to arbitration. The tribunal reaffirmed the ruling in October 2015.
The controversy surrounding the VT3421/TF376 chip sparked political repercussions in Taiwan, prompting eleven Legislative Yuan members to call for a halt to HTC-related government contracts pending security reviews. Subsequently, in December 2020, the Taiwan High Court ruled against Cher Wang and VIA, enforcing financial penalties.
In March 2015, Cher Wang reassumed the position of HTC CEO from Peter Chou to oversee daily management. Later, in September 2017, HTC entered into a US$1.1 billion strategic partnership with Google that involved transferring HTC staff to Google and granting Google a non-exclusive license to HTC’s intellectual property.
Philanthropy
The charitable foundations managed by Wang hold equity stakes across eight investment firms valued at over US$200 million. Nonetheless, a media report indicated that only approximately US$27,000 (0.000135%) had been donated to philanthropic causes; Wang filed a lawsuit against the reporter, which was dismissed in February 2018.
In 2011, she contributed US$28.1 million toward founding Guizhou Forerunner College—a nonprofit vocational institution established by VIA Technologies’ Faith-Hope-Love Foundation. This college provides three years of affordable or free education for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and aims to replicate this model across other regions.
Wang has also made significant donations to her alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley, including support to enhance the American Physical Society’s Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize awarded for outstanding achievements in condensed-matter physics.
Together with her husband Chen, she backs a collaborative psychology initiative between UC Berkeley and Tsinghua University in Beijing, promoting joint faculty and student research endeavors.
In August 2012, Wang donated 6,000 HTC Flyer tablets to sixty high schools throughout Taipei.
Personal life
Wang practices Christianity and is married to Wen Chi Chen, who serves as the CEO of VIA Technologies. The couple has two children. While she generally avoids public attention, Wang has actively participated in Taiwan's political scene, notably backing President Ma Ying-jeou's campaign for re-election and advocating for the 1992 Consensus.
LGBTQ controversies
Wang has been accused of providing financial support to anti-LGBTQ organizations within Taiwan, including partnerships with the US-based International House of Prayer. In 2018, it was reported that her charitable entities contributed approximately $388 million to groups opposing LGBTQ rights over a five-year span.
After Taiwan’s Supreme Court declared the ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, Wang, through her "Faith, Hope & Love Foundation," collaborated with Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Tai-hua to propose a "same-sex union" bill in May 2019. This legislation contains a provision allowing courts to annul unions if family members believe the relationship lacks sincere intent, often referred to as a "fake marriage" clause. Additionally, the bill clarifies that voicing opposition to same-sex unions does not amount to discrimination. The proposal drew criticism from legislator and LGBTQ advocate Yu Mei-nu, who described it as discriminatory and an infringement on the privacy of couples.
External links
- Companies, People, Ideas: Cher Dividend, Forbes (archived)
- HTC Profile (archived)
- HTC Corporation (archived)
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).