Embryo - Starlux Airlines Flying High After Ouster at EVA Airways

Immediately after his April 8, 2022 appointment to Chairman of the Evergreen Group, holding company for all Evergreen entities, including EVA Airways ("EVA"), the founder Chang Yung-Fa's ("YF") son-in-law Cheng Shen-chi ("Cheng"), reviewed the entire holding company's past decisions and future goals (Li, 2022). Less than two months after YF's youngest son, Chang Kuo-Wei ("KW"), was removed as Chairman of EVA in 2016, he formed Starlux Airlines ("Starlux") outside the Evergreen Group structure, and Starlux became one of EVA's primary competitors. Thus, on April 15, 2022, he made the bold decision to appoint KW as the new chairman of Uni Airways Co. ("UNI"), the sister airline of the EVA, a week after his appointment since the external competition between EVA and Starlux was not beneficial for family relationships or the Evergreen Group's businesses. This case concludes in April 2022 with new Chairman Cheng evaluating Evergreen Group from a strategic management and family business perspective and wondering whether using his position as an elder in a Taiwanese family would reconcile the concerns of his four brothers-in-law.