Cher Wang is the chairperson and CEO of Taiwanese company HTC.

She co-founded the predecessor to HTC, called High Tech Computer Corporation (HTC), in 1997 with Phil Chen and H. T. Cho. The company started with $1.5 million in capital and a mission to develop user interfaces for mobile devices such as pocket PCs and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

It also customizes existing technology for sale to consumers, including mobile phones from China’s Shanghai Huaqi Information Industry Development Bureau. In 2006, HTC introduced its product line consisting of Android smartphones that were marketed directly against the Droid by Motorola. She is estimated to be worth USD 8.9 billion, thus making her the wealthiest woman in Taiwan.

Moreover, Wang has been an advocate for promoting women in business. In 2013, she co-founded the non-profit All Girls Garage with Entrepreneur and media personality Leah Busque. The organization aims to teach adolescent girls how to design, engineer, and build cars from the ground up.

Cher Wang’s life story is one of dedication and perseverance. She has faced many challenges throughout her career but has always managed to overcome them. This makes her an excellent role model for aspiring young entrepreneurs everywhere. It is fair enough to say that her success shows that anything is possible if you set your mind to it and never give up. We can all learn a lot from Cher Wang’s story and apply her teachings to our lives.

Cher Wang’s Early Life

Cher Wang was born Chang Yung-fa in 1950 to a Taiwanese family of six children. She is the second eldest child and only daughter. Her father, Chiang Mu-Sheng, ran a printing business with his brothers called Tai Sheng Printing. Early in her life, she showed a strong affinity for mathematics and science. This led to her decision to study computer engineering at the National Cheng Kung University. There, she completed a bachelor’s degree program in just three years instead of the usual four years it takes most students.

In 1973, Cher Wang started working as an engineer for Texas Instruments (TI). Then, in 1978, she began working at Acer America Corp., also known as Multitech International Sales Corp. She became the director of engineering. During her time at Acer, she met her future husband, Wenchi Chen.

Cher Wang’s Early Education

In 1973, Cher Wang earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the National Cheng Kung University. She excelled academically and graduated with honors. In 1978, she earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Cher Wang’s Early Career

In 1978, Cher Wang started working as an engineer for Texas Instruments (TI). While at TI, she experimented with using liquid crystals in her designs. This led to the development of the first notebook computer that used a TFT LCD. It also had an NEC V20 microprocessor which had built-in graphics capabilities. She soon realized that this was not enough to stand out from her colleagues and decided to pursue other goals.

Cher Wang left Texas Instruments in 1982 and joined Acer America Corp., where she became the director of engineering. By 1987, she had risen through the ranks again and had become Acer’s vice president for product marketing. At Acer, she proved herself once more by helping them develop their first laptop, the Travelmate.

Cher Wang saw a gap in the market for video cards and set out to fill it. In 1988, she established an FIC research and development lab, short for First International Computer. In addition to this lab, she created Taiwan’s first multi-scan color TFT LCD monitor. This led to Acer President Stan Shih sending her back to Acer headquarters, where she again became the vice president of product marketing. In 1991, she also became their director of new business development.

In 1993, Cher Wang left Acer and started working as an independent consultant under several names, including VIA Technologies, Inc. and Dialogic Corporation. She was determined to make a name for herself tied to any company or product. Undeterred by her lack of experience, she worked with Taiwanese government officials and launched VIA in October 1996.

Cher Wang’s Later Career

In 1998, Cher Wang started working at the Acer Group Corporation as president and CEO of their multimedia-product division. She was determined to prove herself once more and set out on a mission to develop products that would be competitive with Apple Inc.’s Powerbook series laptops. She also developed an Internet appliance that combined a TV with Internet capabilities during this time. Unfortunately, it proved difficult for her to convince the Acer Group board of directors to develop an unproven product, so it never made it into production. Her best idea was when she proposed developing a low-cost LCD monitor that used a digital signal processor from AMD. This proposal was accepted, and the product became a success.

In 2001, Cher Wang resigned from the Acer Group Corporation and focused her attention on founding the HTC Corporation with Peter Chou. At HTC, she served as chairwoman and CEO. Her goal was to make HTC the leading supplier of cell phones globally. Under her leadership, HTC succeeded and made a profit for the first time in 2004.

In 2010, Cher Wang stepped down from her role as CEO but remained as chairwoman of HTC. She is still currently serving in that position.

Cher Wang’s Achievements

Throughout her career, Cher Wang has been recognized for her many accomplishments. In 1998, she was awarded the title of Industrialist of the Year by Time Magazine. In 1999, she was honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Ernst & Young. That same year, she was also given the Technological Innovation Award from the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs.

In 2003, Cher Wang was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame for her many contributions to the technology industry. Furthermore, in 2006 she became the first woman to be awarded the Golden Pin Design Award for her excellence in product design.

Most recently, in 2014, Cher Wang was recognized as one of Forbes’ Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen.

Cher Wang is an accomplished businesswoman and has made significant contributions to the technology industry. She is a role model for women everywhere, and her story should be celebrated.

Cher Wang’s Wealth

Cher Wang’s net worth is estimated to be $7.3 billion as of 2016. Much of her wealth comes from her stake in HTC, but she also has significant holdings in other businesses. She is a self-made woman, and her success proves that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it.

As of 2021, Cher Wang’s net worth is estimated to be $8.8 billion, making her the richest woman in Taiwan.

Read more on: THE JOURNEY OF DUNCAN BANNATYNE.