TikTok Hires Former Boeing Government Affairs Executive Ahead of U.S. Business Sale

Oversaw Government Affairs at Ford and SoftBank
TikTok U.S. Entity Valued at $14 Billion

Video platform TikTok has recruited a former Boeing government affairs expert ahead of the sale of its U.S. business rights.

According to Reuters and Axios on the 25th (local time), TikTok has appointed Ziad Ojakli, former head of government affairs at Boeing, as Head of Public Policy for the Americas. Ojakli previously oversaw government affairs at Ford and SoftBank, and also worked at the White House during the George W. Bush administration.

Ojakli will begin his role on the 1st of next month. His predecessor, Michael Beckerman, whose departure was announced in April, will move to a global advisory position.

Shou Chew, CEO of TikTok, said, "Ziad will lead our mission to build a trusted platform through proactive communication, education, and transparency." He also described Beckerman as "a key figure in fighting against the U.S. government’s ban measures."

TikTok's replacement of its government affairs chief is seen as a response to the approaching deadline for the sale of its U.S. business rights. Last year, the U.S. Congress enacted the "TikTok Ban Act," which prohibits the service unless Chinese parent company ByteDance transfers TikTok's U.S. operations to an American company. TikTok filed a lawsuit claiming the law was unconstitutional, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in January of this year that the law is constitutional.

President Donald Trump announced last September, after a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, that an agreement had been reached to sell TikTok's U.S. business rights. He then signed an executive order allowing American investors to acquire those rights. At the time, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent estimated that the value of TikTok's U.S. entity would be about $14 billion (approximately 20 trillion won).

After the U.S.-China summit late last month, Secretary Bessent stated, "The TikTok deal is essentially finalized, as it has received approval from the Chinese government," adding, "The sale process will proceed within weeks or months."

It is known that about 50% of TikTok's U.S. stake will be acquired by Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake, among others.