Biography

John Chen, Chairman of the Board, chief executive officer, and president of Sybase, is known widely as an IT industry leader and technology visionary, a corporate turnaround specialist, and a clear, well-informed voice in matters of international trade and U.S. - China relations.

Chen is recognized in the IT industry as more than a clever tactician. He is a visionary leader both in the development of new technologies, and conceiving the real-world uses to which new technologies will be put into practice. His education, a Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), enables him to understand both the inner workings of technology and the business needs it can address.

John Chen is also a recognized expert in engineering of a different type—corporate turnarounds. In 1997, when Sybase's corporate fortunes were at their lowest, John Chen was recruited as president to restore growth and profitability. Since then, Sybase has reinvented itself and posted nineteen consecutive profitable quarters, made significant acquisitions, including AvantGo and New Era of Networks, launched successful subsidiaries—including iAnywhere, holding a dominant position in wireless software, and Financial Fusion, the top facilitator of online banking—and captured sizeable market share in key segments, all while accumulating substantial cash reserves.

As few other executives of major American corporations, John Chen is deeply focused on international relations and trade policy, particularly as it relates to Sino-American relations.

Born in Hong Kong in 1955, Chen hears and understands the voices of China. He is known for taking thoughtful and highly regarded positions on matters of interest to strengthening international trade and U.S. - China relations. Chen was among the first American business executives to argue in favor of permanent normalized trade relations with China, testifying to the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, and for American support of Chinese membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Often through organizations such as the U.S. Center for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) of which he is a member of the Board of Governors, the Council of Foreign Relations, and the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Chen has worked tirelessly to build the U.S.-China relationship. He has spoken widely on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, market openness, and policy and trade issues.

Chen is also vocal about the experience and contribution of Asians in America. He is vice chairman of the Committee of 100, a group of nationally visible Chinese Americans, which promotes understanding of issues faced by Asians in America.