Wingtech Technology, the Chinese owner of Nexperia, has named experienced general counsel Sophie Shen Xinjia, a Columbia Law School graduate, as its president amid a Sino-Dutch dispute over control of the Netherlands-based chipmaker. Shen's tenure as president would be in line with that of Wingtech's 12th board, which was formed in January and will expire by January 2028, according to the company's filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Friday. She replaced Zhang Qiuhong, who served as Wingtech's pres ...

Nexperia’s Netherlands headquarters. The Hague seized control of the company last week - Peter Dejong/The Associated Press Chinese staff at Nexperia have been told to ignore instructions from the group’s Netherlands head office after the Dutch government seized control of the company. In a letter posted on social media platform WeChat, Nexperia China said all employees at the semiconductor giant had the “right to refuse” orders from leaders at the Nijmegen HQ without facing any disciplinary consequences ...

Investment & Activism - Activist investors are likely to press targets over national security concerns [1] Mergers & Acquisitions - Coreweave is not budging on its $9 billion offer [1] Cryptocurrency - A cautious outlook is expected for Winklevoss crypto firm [1]

Core Viewpoint - Apple has decided to keep TikTok in its App Store for at least 75 more days following a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi, which aligns with President Trump's executive order extending the pause on a U.S. TikTok ban [1][4]. Group 1: Apple and TikTok - Apple received a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi urging compliance with President Trump's executive order regarding TikTok [1]. - The decision to keep TikTok in the App Store comes after a previous ban earlier in the year due to national security concerns related to TikTok's Chinese ownership [4]. - Apple had previously restored TikTok in February after receiving a similar letter from Bondi [4]. Group 2: TikTok Ownership and Sale - The White House set a deadline for TikTok's owner, ByteDance, to sell the app, with various potential buyers including Amazon and private equity groups [2]. - A new agreement under negotiation would give outside investors 50% of TikTok's U.S. business, while ByteDance's stake would be reduced to just under 20% [3]. - Recent U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, including a 54% duty, have caused ByteDance to reconsider the sale [3]. Group 3: Trump's Position and Amazon's Interest - Trump initially supported banning TikTok but reversed his stance last year, advocating for a solution even after legal challenges [5]. - Amazon is reportedly interested in acquiring TikTok, which could enhance its influence over consumer behavior, particularly among younger demographics [5][6]. - An acquisition by Amazon could integrate TikTok's advertising ecosystem with its retail infrastructure, linking content discovery to direct purchasing [6].

Group 1 - Amazon has made a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok, which is facing a potential ban in the US if not sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance [1][2] - The bid was communicated in a letter to officials involved in the sale discussions, aimed at addressing US national security concerns [1] - President Trump has expressed confidence in finding a buyer for TikTok's US operations by the upcoming deadline, despite downplaying the risks of a ban [2][5] Group 2 - The most likely resolution involves existing US investors in ByteDance rolling over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company, with additional US investors like Oracle and Blackstone joining to reduce Chinese ownership [3] - TikTok has over 170 million users in the US and is under threat from a law requiring it to separate from ByteDance or face a ban [4] - The deadline for TikTok to be sold is set for April 5, 2025, with potential extensions from President Trump if a deal is not finalized [5][6] Group 3 - Trump's administration may offer to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate Beijing's approval for the sale of TikTok [6] - Trump has shifted from supporting a ban to defending TikTok, recognizing its popularity among younger voters [7] - Other bidders for TikTok include Frank McCourt's Project Liberty initiative, AI startup Perplexity, and internet personality MrBeast [7]