For almost two decades, Facebook, now known as Meta, has been connecting people globally, and though it has experienced several ups and downs, it is still one of the most popular social media platforms out there. That is why it came as a great surprise to many when Meta announced that a Malaysian man is now on Zuckerberg’s board of directors.
In Meta’s latest press release, Mark Zuckerberg announced that he is welcoming new faces to his board of directors; one of them is Penang-born Hock E. Tan. But many aren’t aware of who this man is, but are still equally curious about how he landed a spot next to Silicon Valley’s big earners.
Board of Directors of Meta
As of today, Friday, 15th February, Meta founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said, “I’m excited to share that Hock Tan and John Arnold are joining Meta’s board of directors. As we focus on building AGI, having directors with deep expertise in silicon and energy infrastructure will help us execute our long term vision.”
Tan went on to say, “I am pleased to join the Meta Board and contribute to achieving the company’s vision. Meta has an incredible role to play in the next-generation of computing as it evolves its platform and apps offerings for the future. I look forward to working with Mark, the broader team and the other Board members on Meta’s technology and business journey.”
Tan is known in the industry for being a business giant, having strong connections with almost every tech company in the United States. This makes him an attractive candidate to be with any tech firm, but his colourful experience and business manoeuvring have made him a stellar and indispensable addition to Meta.
Early Life and Education
To start, Hock E. Tan was, as mentioned earlier, born in Penang around 1951 or 1952, and early on in his life he discovered that he had an affinity for technology. Tan decided to pursue a career in technology, and in 1971 he received a scholarship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). With this ticket, he travelled to the United States, where he would later not only transform the company but the face of technology along with it.
He completed his studies at MIT in 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in the same field later in the year. But Tan’s pursuit of knowledge did not end there, as he went on to Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1979. Tan also continued his studies, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the National University of Singapore.
Career and Growth
From 1983 to 1988, he was the managing director of Hume Industries in Malaysia, after which he led Pacven Investment from 1988 to 1992. He later worked in finance for General Motors Co. and PepsiCo Inc. before becoming Commodore International Ltd.’s Vice President of Finance from 1992 to 1994.
Tan eventually became the president and CEO of Integrated Circuit Systems from June 1999 to September 2005. Then, from September 2005 to January 2008, he served as chairman of the board of Integrated Device Technology, and sometime in between, around March 2006, Tan became President, CEO, and Director of Broadcom. Under this leadership, Broadcom received numerous accolades, including industry awards for innovation and excellence.
Following this, Broadcom then made the bold decision to move from Singapore to the United States in 2017, a move that Tan claimed at the time would yield $20 billion in yearly revenue for the US Treasury. His foresight was spot on, as he earned US$103.2 million (RM493.35 million) that year and was named the highest-earning CEO of 2017.
Source: Meta, Broadcom
