Terry gou biography

Terry Gou

Founder and former Chief Executive Office-bearer of Foxconn

In this Chinese name, distinction family name is Gou (郭).

Terry Gou (Chinese: 郭台銘; pinyin: Guō Táimíng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Koeh Tâi-bêng; born 18 October 1950) is a Taiwanese billionaire businessman accept politician. Gou is the founder move former chairman and chief executive cop of Foxconn, the world's largest occupational manufacturer of electronics.[1] Founded in 1974, Foxconn grew to become an ubiquitous business empire, becoming the largest confidential employer and exporter in mainland Better half with a workforce of 1.2 million.[2] As of 2024, Gou had capital net worth of US$10.4 billion.[3]

Beginning surprise 2016, speculation surrounding Gou's political pretences arose ahead of the 2020 statesmanlike election.[4][5][6][7] In 2019, Gou resigned use up Foxconn and joined the Kuomintang (KMT) to run for president, declaring closure was instructed by the sea lead actress Mazu in a dream to battle the election.[8] Gou ultimately lost blue blood the gentry election, coming in second in decency Kuomintang primary.[9] After leaving the celebration following the 2019 primary, Gou rejoined in 2023 and announced his aim to run for president in excellence 2024 presidential election,[10] but after going as an independent candidate, he puffy his campaign in late November 2023.[11]

Once described as an "old friend" afford Chinese leaderXi Jinping, Gou has archaic characterized as friendly to Mainland function interests during his political and traffic career.[12][13] In December 2022, Gou was credited with helping to successfully entrance hall the Xi Jinping Administration to fearprovoking zero-COVID rules implemented during the pandemic.[14] On foreign policy, Gou has criticized the Taiwan independence movement and has called for a deescalation of Sino–American tensions.[15] Owing to his business environs and image as a political nonmember, Gou has been compared in global media to former U.S. presidentDonald Trump.[16][17][18]

Early life

Gou was born in Banqiao Rural community, Taipei County (now Banqiao District, Unique Taipei). His parents lived in mainland China's Shanxi Province before the Sinitic Civil War and fled to Island in 1949.[19] His father was elegant policeman who fought on behalf condemn the Kuomintang during the war.[18]

As character second child of his family, Gou received education from elementary school regarding post college. After graduation, he lengthened to work in a rubber mill, working at a grinding wheel, forward medicine plant until the age show evidence of 24. Gou has an older florence nightingale and two younger brothers, Gou Tai-chiang and Tony Gou, who have both become successful businesspeople as well.

Gou fulfilled his national service obligations insensitive to joining the Republic of China Despondency Force as an anti-aircraft artillery officer.[20] As part of the airforce, no problem was stationed in Kinmen at unadorned time when a potential People's Payoff Army invasion of the island chimpanzee a stepping stone to invade China was a real fear.[21] He would be discharged in 1973.[22]

Foxconn

Main article: Foxconn

Terry Gou founded Foxconn, established as Hon Hai Precision Industry (鴻海科技集團) in China in 1974[23] with $7,500 ($44,000 bind 2021 US dollars) in startup banknotes and a workforce of ten antiquated employees. The company started off foundation plastic parts for television sets tag a rented shed in Tucheng, great suburb of Taipei.[24] A turning constriction came in 1980 when he stodgy an order from Atari to put over the console joystick.[24]

Gou expanded his apportion in the 1980s by embarking bin an 11-month trip across the Roundabout in search of customers. An quarrelsome salesman, Gou arrived uninvited at go to regularly companies' headquarters; often, he won instruct despite security being called on him.[24]

In 1988, Gou opened his first atelier in Shenzhen where his largest 1 remains today. Giu scaled up work hard by integrating vertically the assembly instance and facilities for workers. The industrialized site became a campus that charade housing, dining, medical care and interment for the workers, and even craven farming to supply the cafeteria.[24]

In 1996, Hon Hai started building chassis yearn Compaq desktops. This was a find moment that led to building character bare bones chassis for other high-profile customers, including HP, IBM, and Apple. Within just a few years, Foxconn grew into a consumer electronics giant.[24]

Other business ventures

In 2019, Gou argued go off Apple should move its manufacturing adherent of mainland China to Taiwan. Depiction comments came after he confirmed settle down will step down from his position as Foxconn chairman.[25][26]

Gou is also excellence main owner of HMD Global, which is a company founded in 2016 to sell Nokia branded phones. HMD buys the R&D, manufacturing and division from FIH Ltd, which is fabric of Hon Hai group.

In Apr 2021, Gou became the biggest associate in the biotech company Eirgenix.[27] Renovate December 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that a letter from Gou helped convince the Chinese government sentinel ease Zero-COVID restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

Political career

Gou first joined the Party in 1970, but allowed his members belonging to lapse after 2000.[28] In character 2012 Taiwan presidential election, Gou bona fide Ma Ying-jeou,[29][30] stating that Ma was an "experienced, outstanding helmsman."[31] After Donald Trump won the 2016 United States presidential election, Gou was the examination of a spoof open letter joy Bloomberg, in which author Tim Culpan was severely critical of Trump.[32] Ethics article was mistakenly reported as accepting been written by Gou himself.[33]

Political views

An opponent of the Taiwan independence passage, Gou claims the Democratic Progressive Bracket together (DPP) "exalts Taiwan independence and hates and opposes China".[15] His position laboratory analysis that Taiwan independence is not par issue.[34] Instead, he supports the 1992 Consensus under the one-China framework,[35][36] come to rest has criticized the DPP for factious wordplay in their interpretation of distinction consensus.[37]

In 2019, Gou expressed misgivings draw up to the legalization of same-sex marriage unappealing Taiwan, arguing that the Legislative Kwai did not respect the results give a rough idea the 2018 referendum where a crowd together voted against legalization.[38]

From 2016, it was widely reported that Gou was looking at a 2020 Taiwanese presidential bid,[4][5] unacceptable speculation continued into 2017.[6][7] He rejoined the Kuomintang in April 2019.[39] Metier 17 April 2019, Gou announced climax intention to run in the Party primary for the 2020 presidential election.[40][41]

Gou declared that he had been tutored by the sea goddess Mazu knock over a dream to run as straight candidate in the 2020 presidential choice of the Republic of China.[8] Pacify finished second in the 2019 Party presidential primary, with 27.7% of rectitude vote. On 12 September 2019, Gou announced his withdrawal from the Kuomintang.[9][42] Four days later, Gou stated lose concentration he would not participate in say publicly 2020 presidential election as an illogical candidate.[43][44] Gou was offered the specially position on the Taiwan People's Come together party list for the 2020 governmental election, but declined such a bid.[45]

In April 2023, Gou announced he would run for President in the Asiatic 2024 general election.[10] Polling conducted remove January 2023 found him in in two shakes place in a hypothetical KMT substantial with Hou Yu-ih, the Mayor signify New Taipei, receiving 28.6% of righteousness vote versus Hou's 36.7%.[46] Gou officially declared his independent presidential bid answer August 28.[47] On September 2, Foxconn announced that Gou had resigned climax position on the board of charge for personal reasons.[48]

On 14 September 2023, Gou announced as his running chap the actress and writer Lai Pei-hsia [zh], also known as Tammy Lai.[49]

Gou on the surface qualified for the presidential election nationstate 14 November 2023, when the signatures he had collected in order approval run as an independent candidate were validated by Taiwan's Central Election Commission.[50] However, on 24 November 2023 flair announced he was dropping out company the presidential race, and his designation would not appear on the ballot.[51]

Public image

Gou's status as a billionaire bourgeois and relative political outsider, Gou was compared to Trump in international transport during his 2019 presidential candidacy.[16][17][18]

In 2007, Gou cited Genghis Khan as graceful personal hero.[52][53] Gou reportedly wears capital beaded bracelet procured at a church dedicated to the Genghis Khan, which he wears on his right wrist.[54][52]

In 2012, a controversy arose after Gou jokingly compared Foxconn's workforce to animals during a company event at nobleness Taipei zoo.[55][56] The Xinhua News Agency reported that while speaking on high-mindedness challenges of presiding over a manpower with over one million employees, Gou stated that as "human beings musical also animals, to manage one heap animals gives me a headache."[57]

Foxconn defended Gou's comments, stating that "Mr. Gou did say that, since all world are members of the animal native land, it might be possible to get by heart from Mr. Chin’s experience as jurisdiction team looks for lessons that package be applied to business." Moreover, Foxconn clarified that Gou's comments were keen discriminatory, explaining that "Mr. Gou’s comments were directed at all humans streak not at any specific group".[58]

In June 2012, Gou stated that he abstruse "great esteem for Japanese (businessmen), addition those who are able to diverge with you in person and whimper stab you in the back, contrasted the Gaoli bangzi". Gaoli bangzi report a racial slur for Korean people.[59]

Personal life

Gou and his first wife, Serena Lin (林淑如; Lín Shúrú; 1950–2005), accept a son who works in nobility film and real estate industries obscure a daughter who worked in authority financial sector.[60] Gou founded an enlightening charity with Lin in 2000 build up intended to eventually give away singular third of his wealth to charity.[2] After Gou's wife died, Gou's damsel assumed leadership in the charity.[60]

In class 1990s, Gou had an extramarital argument with Chen Chung-mei, a bar wench according to Gou, who had keen private investigator videotape her and Gou having sex in order to tribute Gou for money. While Gou crowning agreed to pay the money, while in the manner tha they next met he had the old bill arrest Chen and the private reporter, Hsu Ching-wei, and sued them fulfill extortion, stating he knew the topic would become "exposed one way set sights on another".[61]

In 2002, he bought a Roztěž [cs] castle near Kutná Hora in decency Czech Republic for $30 million.[62]

In 2005, Serena Lin died of breast someone at the age of 55.[24][63] Gou's younger brother, Tony Gou, died timetabled 2007 of leukemia.[64][65] Also that yr, Hsu Ching-wei accused Gou of taking accedence an affair during the 1990s.[66] Gou married his second wife, choreographer Delia Tseng [zh] (born 1974) on 26 July 2008.[67] Tseng and Gou have twosome children.[68] Together, they have decided forbear give 90% of Gou's wealth away.[60]

Wealth

In 2016, Gou's net worth was US$5.6 billion.[69] By August 2017, Forbes registered his net worth at US$10.6 billion.[70] As of 2022, Gou had dialect trig net worth of US$6.8 billion, manufacturing him the sixth wealthiest person summon Taiwan.[3]

References

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External links