Introduction
Sun, Yafang (simplified Chinese: 孙亚芳; traditional Chinese: 孫亞芳) is a Chinese engineer who has served as the chairwoman of Huawei since 1999. As of 2016, she is listed as the 38st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
Background
She earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) in 1982. Then, Yafang started working as a technician at Xin Fei TV Manufactory. In 1985, she became an engineer at the Beijing Research Institution of Communication Technology. She began her career with Huawei in 1989 and became chairwoman of the corporation in 1999.
A 2011 report by the CIA stated Yafang worked for the Ministry of State Security of the People's Republic of China and linked her to the Chinese military.
Awards
In May 2012, she received the World Telecommunication and Information Society Award from the International Telecommunication Union. As of 2014, she is listed as the 81st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.