TikTok announced it has named Ziad Ojakli, Boeing’s former head of government affairs, as the short video app’s head of public policy for the Americas, as it works to complete a deal to separate its US assets from its parent company.
The move comes as the Chinese company that owns TikTok, ByteDance, seeks to sell around 80% of its US assets to a consortium of US and global investors to meet national security requirements established in a 2024 law. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September giving them until the end of January to finalize the deal.
Ojakli, who previously oversaw government affairs at Ford Motor and Softbank, will begin his new role on Dec. 1, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said in a memo announcing the hire on Tuesday. He noted that current public policy chief Michael Beckerman, a key figure in the company’s fight against a US government ban, had indicated in April that he planned to leave his position and take on a global advisory role.
More context: US Treasury says China already approved TikTok transfer deal
TikTok faces questions over divestment plan
Rep. John Moolenaar, Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said in October that a licensing deal for use of TikTok’s algorithm would raise “serious concerns.” Democratic Sen. Ed Markey also raised questions about the deal this week.
Moolenaar indicated he will host the leaders of TikTok’s new US entity at a hearing next year.
Trump’s order states that the algorithm will be retrained and monitored by the US company’s security partners, and that its operation will be under the control of the new joint venture.
A group of three investors, including Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake, will acquire about 50% of TikTok EU, Reuters reported in September, while a group of existing ByteDance shareholders will hold about 30%.
ByteDance would maintain less than 20% in TikTok EU to meet the requirements detailed in the 2024 law.
With information from Reuters
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