Angela Chao - Biography

Angela Chao is a business executive who works as the Chair and C.E.O. of Foremost Group, an international transportation and shipping company. As an experienced public speaker, Angela lectures worldwide on the shipping industry, gender parity and East-West relations. Additionally, Angela is an active philanthropist and President of the Foremost Foundation, one of the Chao family's philanthropic organizations. In her professional, business and philanthropic activities, she strives to create a cultural bridge that brings the East and the West closer together.

About Foremost Group

Foremost Group is a global shipping and transportation company based in New York. Foremost Group is an industry leader in incorporating fuel-efficient designs and technology in its fleet of modern and eco-friendly dry bulk carriers. Foremost Group was founded by her father, Dr. James S. C. Chao, who currently serves as Honorary Chairman.

Bridging the East and West

Co-Chair of The Asian American Foundation’s Advisory Council, Angela Chao is a board member of many international organizations, including the American Bureau of Shipping Council, Harvard Business School’s Dean’s Advisors, Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s International Maritime Business Department Advisory Board, The Metropolitan Opera, The Shanghai Mulan Education Foundation, The Foremost Foundation, The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation and the Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association in America.

She previously served on boards of Bank of China, Lincoln Center Global's China Advisory Council, Museum of Modern Art PS1, Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy Board of Advisors, the American Ballet Theatre’s Global Council, The New York City Economic Development Corporation, The Hospital for Special Surgery’s International Advisory Board, The China State Shipbuilding Corporation, The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Executive Committee of the Baltic International Maritime Council (BIMCO).

She holds membership in the Young Leader’s Forum of the National Committee on US-China Relations, the Chairman’s Council of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Founding Board Council for Museum of Contemporary Art - Los Angeles and on the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2011, Angela was invited to take part in the Wall Street Journal’s Task Force on Women in the Economy as a Founding Member.

Education

Angela graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College after three years of studies for her undergraduate degree in Economics. While studying for her MBA at Harvard University, Angela Chao penned a paper entitled, “Ocean Carriers.” Harvard and other business schools use her case study in their required curriculum for MBA studies.
​
In 2016, Angela’s father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, her late mother, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, and their family were featured by Harvard Business School’s Baker Library for their commitment and generosity towards the promotion of education, history and culture at Harvard University and around the world.
 
To commemorate Ruth’s legacy of faith, family, and philanthropy, generous gifts from the Chao family established the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center at Harvard Business School, including the first building named after an Asian-American and the first building named after a woman in Harvard’s history.

The Chao Family History & Archives