TOPICS magazine interview with Robert Porter, Coupang Chief Global Affairs Officer, and Bill Owens, Head of Coupang Logistics Services (CLS), Taiwan
Porter is chief global affairs officer at Coupang, a U.S. technology company that provides digital retail, logistics, and other AI-driven services in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and 190 countries and regions around the world. Before joining Coupang, Porter held a variety of senior positions in the public sector.
Owens is head of Coupang Logistics Services (CLS) in Taiwan. Owens served for seven years in the U.S. Army before transitioning to leadership roles with plastics manufacturer Pregis and Amazon Robotics Fulfillment prior to joining Coupang.
Rob, we’ll start with you. Coupang has been expanding rapidly in Taiwan. How do you see Taiwan’s role in Coupang’s global strategy?
Taiwan is central to Coupang’s global strategy in every respect. We invest in markets where consumers value a broad selection of high-quality goods and services, attractive prices, and extremely fast delivery. Our investments here reflect our confidence that the technology enabled customer experience Coupang pioneered would be embraced by Taiwan customers, and that’s proven true.
From the outset, we’ve also approached Taiwan with a long-term strategic mindset. As we continue to grow our business here, we also see Taiwan helping develop next generation AI-driven capabilities that will support broader growth across Asia and beyond.
As a U.S. technology company, we’re especially pleased that Taiwan has become one of Coupang’s most important growth markets. And we will continue to promote Taiwan’s many strengths — forward-thinking leaders, sophisticated consumers, world-class digital infrastructure, and innovative business culture — in policy discussions around the globe.
Rob, continuing on that theme — as a U.S. technology company investing in Taiwan, how do you see Coupang contributing to deeper U.S.–Taiwan economic ties?
We’re very pleased that Coupang has helped boost trade and investment flows between the United States and Taiwan. Coupang is now one of the largest U.S. investors in Taiwan and has established an important channel for bilateral commercial activity, selling billions of dollars’ worth of American and Taiwanese goods and services each year.
We see Taiwan as an essential partner to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen technology supply chains. Investments by American companies can help reinforce confidence in Taiwan as a long-term economic partner. For example, investing in our AI-driven logistics network supports resilient domestic distribution capabilities — an area where we can help advance policy objectives for both countries.
We hope that accelerating our investments here will continue to promote economic and security ties between the U.S. and Taiwan, and we are always pleased to work with government leaders in both countries to help do so.
Bill, Coupang is widely recognized for developing innovative technology that redefines the customer experience through speed and convenience. How is technology shaping your operations in Taiwan?
As a technology company, we’re using AI to break traditional trade-offs like speed versus cost. In Taiwan, we’ve built a highly integrated network connecting our customer interface, fulfillment centers, and delivery network into one consistent operation.
A key differentiator is our orchestration of control through real-time data, using live tracking systems to oversee product flow from placement through delivery. With our fourth smart logistics center in Taoyuan, we’re deploying advanced automation to help ensure a resilient commerce backbone.
Over the long term, we see opportunities to continue to introduce innovative capabilities that will strengthen the service we provide and help further develop Taiwan’s digital infrastructure for the future.
As Head of CLS Taiwan, what are your priorities for Coupang’s continued development in Taiwan over the next few years?
Our priority is to accelerate our long-term investments in Taiwan to help set even higher standards for speed, choice, cost, and service quality for our customers here.
For example, we use comprehensive planning software to predict demand, ensuring “WOW” delivery even during peak periods. WOW is our program whereby we deliver orders to customers at the highest speeds in the industry, often within a day. This infrastructure also enables local businesses to reach customers faster by giving them access to sophisticated distribution capabilities.
We’re focused on delivering consistently excellent service and results at scale for customers across Taiwan. Our goal is to deploy the same high-standard, frictionless experiences that have delighted our customers globally, ensuring we exceed expectations and “WOW” every household in Taiwan.
Rob, looking ahead, how do you see Coupang’s role evolving as Taiwan continues to strengthen its position in the global digital economy?
Taiwan is already one of the world’s leading innovation economies. As it continues to deepen its engagement with global markets, Coupang hopes to play an important role in developing advanced logistics systems, facilitating increased digital trade, and promoting market-oriented regulatory approaches.
Most importantly, we hope to continue to invest in and grow our business in ways that benefit customers and empower entrepreneurs in Taiwan, while contributing to deeper global economic engagement that helps ensure a better future for all.
