Quick Facts
Biography
Jeffrey Koo, Sr. (Chinese: 辜濂松; pinyin: Gū Líansōng; September 8, 1933 – December 6, 2012) was a Taiwanese banker and the chairman of Chinatrust, a financial holding company.
Early years
Koo was born in 1933 in Taichū Prefecture in Japanese Taiwan. He graduated from Soochow University in Taipei in 1957 with a BA in accounting, moved to New York (lived in Brooklyn Heights) and graduated from New York University Stern School of Business in 1962 with a MBA.
Personal life
Koo was a nephew of Koo Chen-fu (founder of Koos Group) and Koo Kwang-ming.
Koo had a daughter and three sons, the eldest being Jeffrey Koo Jr. and the yougest son being Andre Koo. Following generation include Andre Koo Jr. All his children have connections to Chinatrust.
Career
Koo founded what is now Chinatrust Commercial Bank with Koo Chen-fu in 1966.
Additionally, Koo was named Ambassador-at-large, representing Taiwan. Most successfully known for his China-Taiwan Cross-Strait relations.
In June 2008, Forbes ranked him as the sixth richest individual in Taiwan, with a net worth of US$ 2.8 billion. He is also an alumnus of Eisenhower Fellowships and a member of the Board of Trustees.
Awards and Honorary Degrees
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from the Japanese government, 2012.
- Honorary PHD in Business from De La Salle University in the Philippines (1989)
- Honorary Doctorate from East China Normal University, Shanghai, China (2012)
Death
Koo went to New York City for treatment for Parkinson's and died at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center on December 6, 2012. Koo is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.