Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) yesterday confirmed that chief financial officer (CFO) David Chang (張偉明), who doubled as the firm’s spokesman, had died following a short illness at the age of 50.
He is survived by two children.
The PC maker said Chang, who had just returned from a business trip to China on Wednesday, passed away at his home on Thursday evening.
Photo provided by Asustek Computer Inc
The firm declined to elaborate on his cause of death, citing privacy concerns for Chang’s family.
“Chang had served at Asus[tek] for a long time and had participated in many of the firm’s major policy decisions... The company is grieving over the sudden tragedy. Asus is hoping to see its employees maintain good health and balance between work and family,” chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) said in an internal letter to Asustek employees yesterday morning.
Shih said Chang made great contributions to Asustek when the firm made its initial public offering in 1996 and when the company spun off its computer-related contract manufacturing unit, Pegatron Corp (和碩), in 2007.
Chang, who worked at the PC company for nearly 21 years, began work in the financial department in 1994 after it was established in 1989.
He had been serving as Shih’s executive assistant for 12 years and was promoted to chief financial officer and company spokesman in 2006. Chang was appointed by Shih to be the firm’s lead marketing officer in 2013.
Chang played a key role in driving Asustek’s smartphone business. He was often on international business trips over the past few years and accompanied Shih to many public events.
During a visit to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January last year, Chang almost fainted in his hotel room after attending a series of meetings and teleconferences with colleagues in Taiwan due to a lack of sleep, media reports said.
His unexpected passing sparked speculation that exhaustion due to overwork played a part in his death.
Asustek acting spokesman Nick Wu (吳長榮) yesterday denied a rumor Chang had died while working past midnight at the company’s headquarters.
The public should respect his family’s privacy, he said by telephone.
The company will spend months looking for a suitable successor, Lee said, adding that the board was to convene soon over the matter.
“The death will not affect the firm’s operations,” Lee said, adding that Asustek is still on schedule to hold smartphone product launches in India and Brazil next month.
Asustek shares rose 2.46 percent to NT$292 in Taipei trading yesterday.
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