Z. Julie Gao

ByteDance may be the world’s most important social media company—what other startup could claim to be going toe-to-toe with U.S. presidents? As the company hashes out a deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S., CFO Julie Gao is keeping an eye on the Chinese startup’s monster finances and corporate structure. ByteDance’s investors have sung Gao’s praises as a CFO open and willing to engage with their needs—an unusual quality for normally private Chinese companies. ByteDance is already building up its business outside the U.S., expanding its e-commerce and social media offerings across Asia, Latin America, and Europe, and becoming one of China’s AI leaders. A hotly anticipated IPO is likely also on Gao’s mind. ByteDance is one of the planet’s most valuable startups, with a recent employee share buyback reportedly valuing the company at $330 billion.