1. Overview
Cher Wang (王雪紅Wáng XuěhóngChinese; born 15 September 1958) is a Taiwanese entrepreneur known for co-founding HTC Corporation and VIA Technologies, making her one of the most successful women in computer technology. As the daughter of Wang Yung-ching, founder of the influential Formosa Plastics Group, Wang has built her own significant business empire. Beyond her corporate achievements, she has engaged in various philanthropic endeavors, including establishing charitable foundations and making substantial donations to educational institutions. However, her career has also been marked by significant controversies, particularly concerning allegations of her companies' products aiding surveillance and her foundations' alleged funding of anti-LGBTQ groups, which have raised concerns about social trust, privacy, and human rights in Taiwan.
2. Early life and education
Cher Wang was born on 15 September 1958, in Taipei, Taiwan. She is the daughter of Wang Yung-ching, a prominent industrialist who founded the Formosa Plastics Group, a major plastics and petrochemicals conglomerate. Her father was one of Taiwan's wealthiest individuals before his death in 2008. Wang pursued her education abroad, attending the College Preparatory School in Oakland, California. She later earned her bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1981.
3. Career
Cher Wang's career in the technology industry began in 1982 when she joined First International Computer (FIC). Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to co-found two significant technology companies: VIA Technologies in 1987 and HTC Corporation in 1997. Both companies primarily focused on products related to smartphones. Over the years, Wang has held various leadership roles, achieving considerable business success and recognition.
3.1. Founding of VIA Technologies and HTC
Cher Wang co-founded VIA Technologies, an integrated chipset manufacturer, in 1987. A decade later, in 1997, she co-founded HTC Corporation. Both companies quickly became key players in the technology sector, with smartphones emerging as core products for both entities, driving their early growth and market presence.
3.2. Leadership and Business Achievements
As a prominent figure in the technology industry, Cher Wang has held significant executive roles, including chairperson of HTC Corporation since 2007. Her business strategies have led to considerable financial success. In May 2011, Forbes recognized her and her husband, Wen Chi Chen, as the wealthiest individuals in Taiwan, with a combined net worth of 8.80 B USD. Her influence extended globally, as she was named No. 56 on Forbes' list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in August 2012. By 2014, Forbes further elevated her ranking to the 54th most powerful woman in the world, underscoring her continued impact and recognition in the global business landscape.
3.3. CEO Tenure and Strategic Moves at HTC
In March 2015, Cher Wang assumed the role of CEO at HTC, taking over day-to-day operations from Peter Chou. During her tenure as CEO, Wang made several key management decisions aimed at steering the company's direction. A notable strategic move occurred in September 2017, when HTC and Google announced a significant cooperation agreement valued at 1.10 B USD. Under this agreement, certain HTC employees transitioned to Google, and Google gained access to HTC's intellectual property through a non-exclusive licensing arrangement. This partnership marked a pivotal moment for HTC, reflecting Wang's efforts to forge alliances and adapt to the evolving technology market.
4. Business-Related Controversies and Legal Issues
VIA Technologies, one of Cher Wang's co-founded companies, faced significant controversy surrounding its product VT3421, also known as TF376. This anti-hack chip was suspected of potentially assisting the Chinese government in surveilling the mobile devices of anti-communist and human rights activists. This suspicion led to a complex legal dispute.
The case involved multiple tribunals. In October 2014, Cher Wang appealed the original arbitration's Final Award from the HKIAC / A11022 arbitration, asserting that the award was contrary to public policy. During a hearing before Justice Mimmie Chan in the Hong Kong High Court (Case No.: HCCT40 / 2014), the defense counsel argued that the award violated Hong Kong's public order and morals. In June 2015, the Judge remitted the case back to Arbitrator Anthony Neoh. The tribunal subsequently upheld the conviction in October 2015. This unusual case was documented by the World Arbitration News, which affirmed the integrity of the HKIAC arbitration process despite the controversy.
The VT3421/TF376 chip also caused considerable conflict within Taiwan. Eleven Legislative Senators suggested that the government should suspend procurement of HTC-related communication products until the National Security Bureau and National Communication Committee completed a thorough investigation into the chip's alleged backdoor issue. This legislative scrutiny highlighted public and governmental concerns regarding potential privacy breaches and the impact on social trust. In December 2020, the Taiwan High Court ultimately ruled against Cher Wang and VIA Technologies, putting the case forward for enforcement, indicating a legal conclusion that affirmed the allegations against the company.
5. Philanthropy and Social Contributions
Cher Wang has engaged in various philanthropic activities through her charity foundations. These foundations reportedly hold stocks from eight investment companies with a market value exceeding 200.00 M USD. However, a news article in 2016 criticized these foundations, stating that only 27.00 K USD (a mere 0.000135% of the reported market value) had actually been donated to charity. Wang subsequently sued the reporter over this claim, but the case failed in February 2018, raising questions about the transparency and effectiveness of her charitable endeavors.
Despite these criticisms, Wang has made several notable contributions. In 2011, she donated 28.10 M USD to help establish Guizhou Forerunner College in southwest China. This charitable college, set up by VIA Technologies' non-profit Faith-Hope-Love Foundation, aims to provide three years of free or low-cost education to students from low-income families. Wang has expressed her intention to establish additional similar institutions in other parts of the country if this college proves successful.
Wang has also made significant donations to the University of California, Berkeley. Her funding has notably enhanced the American Physical Society's Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, which recognizes researchers who have made substantial contributions to the field of condensed-matter physics. Furthermore, Wang and her husband, Wen Chi Chen, fund a collaborative program between the psychology departments at UC Berkeley and Tsinghua University in Beijing. This initiative, known as the Berkeley-Tsinghua Program for the Advanced Study in Psychology, aims to foster and support collaborative psychology research between faculty and students from both universities. In August 2012, Wang also donated 6,000 HTC Flyer tablet PCs to 60 high schools in Taipei, contributing to educational technology access in her home country.
6. Personal Life and Political Views
Cher Wang is a Christian. She is married to Wen Chi Chen, who serves as the CEO of VIA Technologies. They have two children. Despite her prominent public profile, Wang has stated that she prefers to maintain a low profile.
Wang has been actively involved in Taiwan's political landscape. She publicly supported former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in his bid for re-election. Additionally, she has voiced her support for the 1992 Consensus, a political understanding between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that acknowledges "one China" but allows for different interpretations.
7. LGBTQ Controversies
Cher Wang has been embroiled in controversy due to allegations of her foundations backing and funding anti-LGBTQ groups and activities in Taiwan. These allegations include cooperation with the US-based group International House of Prayer. In 2018, reports indicated that two non-profit organizations managed by Wang allegedly provided approximately 388.00 M USD to anti-LGBTQ groups in Taiwan over a five-year period.
These actions sparked significant criticism, particularly in the context of Taiwan's progress on LGBTQ rights. In a landmark ruling, Taiwan's Supreme Court declared that the Civil Code's prohibition of same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and mandated its amendment by 24 May 2019. However, on 4 May 2019, Wang, along with her "Faith, Hope & Love Foundation" and Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Tai-hua, drafted a "same-sex union" bill. This proposed bill contained a controversial "fake marriage" clause, which would empower prosecutors or social welfare agencies to request court intervention to abrogate a same-sex union if relatives within three degrees of consanguinity of either partner believed the union was not for the purpose of "living life together."
Furthermore, the bill included a clause stating that "as one's conscience and freedom should not be affected by the enactment of this act, conveying or inculcating beliefs against the relationship described in Article 2 (same-sex union) does not constitute discrimination." This provision was widely criticized by LGBTQ rights activists and legislators. Taiwan legislator and prominent LGBT rights advocate Yu Mei-nu publicly denounced the bill as "stark discrimination against same-sex couples," questioning the right of anyone to scrutinize the sincerity of other couples' marriages. These legislative efforts by Wang and her associates were seen by many as attempts to undermine the spirit of the Supreme Court's ruling and to perpetuate discrimination against the LGBTQ community, raising serious concerns about human rights and minority protections in Taiwan.