Terry Gou

Guo Taiming, born October 18, 1950, in Banqiao City, Taipei County, Taiwan. His father is Guo Aiwu, born in 1922, from Zezhou County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, China. In the family genealogy, the Guo family's generational order is clear; Guo Taiming belongs to the family’s 20th generation. Ancestors in the family include Guo Deguang, Guo Zhou, Guo Wenjin, and others, with generations passed down in sequence.

Guo graduated in 1971 from Taiwan’s "Zhonghua Maritime Vocational School," completing his studies through a work-study arrangement. After finishing his military service, he worked as a salesman for Fuxing Shipping Company. In February 1973, he invested NT$100,000 and, with friends, established Hon Hai Plastic Enterprise Co., Ltd. in Taipei County, primarily producing plastic products. In less than a year the company became wholly owned by Guo Taiming; at that time it was small, with only 15 employees.

By 1974, Hon Hai Plastic Enterprise Co., Ltd. had capital of NT$300,000. The company gradually diversified its operations and began turning a profit in 1977. Guo purchased Japanese equipment to build a mold factory, laying the foundation for later development. He later invested in establishing an electroplating department and a stamping plant. In the 1980s, with the arrival of the personal computer era, Guo leveraged mold technology to focus on producing connectors, casings, and other products, adopting a "high volume, low price" competitive strategy to quickly gain market share.

In 1982 the company was renamed "Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd." and invested NT$16 million to enter the computer cable assembly field. In 1985, he established a branch in the United States, began expanding into international markets, and created the "FOXCONN" brand. In 1988, Guo established Foxconn Precision Components Factory in Shenzhen to produce computer peripheral connectors.

In 2001, Hon Hai Group’s revenue reached NT$144.2 billion, ranking first among Taiwan’s top 1,000 enterprises. In 2002, the group’s revenue surpassed NT$345 billion, becoming a leading company in Taiwan’s manufacturing industry. In 2005, he was named one of the top 100 outstanding Chinese business leaders worldwide. In 2006, he invested in the mainland Chinese film "Silver Empire" (白银帝国). In April 2008 he announced his retirement, and in July he became engaged to Zeng Xinying.

Guo was once accused by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service of tax evasion and paid US$900,000 in compensation. In 2012 he proposed taxation suggestions for Taiwan’s top 300 wealthiest people. In 2014 there was a shooting incident at Hon Hai headquarters, but Guo denied any connection to the event. Also in 2014, while investing in Shanxi, he announced plans to invest more than RMB 5 billion locally. In 2015 he expressed confidence about the work environment at a shareholders’ meeting, but political allegations and legal disputes also drew attention.

In 2016, Hon Hai Group acquired 66% of Sharp’s shares. In 2019, Guo announced his participation in the presidential primary for Taiwan’s regional leader and subsequently said he would gradually withdraw from the day-to-day management of Hon Hai. By 2020 his rankings on Forbes and Fortune lists continued to rise. In 2023, he announced his candidacy for the 2024 Taiwan leadership election and in the same year announced his resignation from the company’s board.

Regarding his personal life, his former wife Lin Shuru died of breast cancer; they had children. His current wife is Zeng Xinying, and the couple have three children. Guo has repeatedly participated in philanthropic activities, including disaster relief and donations of public facilities. He has received multiple business awards and honors and is considered one of Asia’s important entrepreneurs.