Sim Wong Hoo

Sim Wong Hoo (born 1955; Chinese: 沈望傅) is the CEO and Chairman of Creative Technology, [ [http://www.creative.com Creative Technology Pte Ltd] ] a designer and manufacturer of products for personal computers and personal digital entertainment devices.

Early life and career

Sim Wong Hoo was born in Singapore and graduated from Bukit Panjang Government High School and then the Electrical & Electronic Engineering faculty of Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore. In 1 July 1981, Sim Wong Hoo, with his school friend Ng Kai Wa, began a business in Pearl Centre in Singapore. He got his start running Creative as a computer repair shop. While doing this he developed and sold an add-on memory board for the Apple II computer. Later, Creative began creating customized PCs adapted for the Chinese language that included enhanced audio capabilities so that the device could produce speech and melodies. The success of this audio interface led to the development of a stand-alone sound card named Sound Blaster that Creative marketed.

Sim Wong Hoo helped guide Creative to success with the landmark Sound Blaster line of audio card products. It was among the first dedicated audio processing card to be made widely available to the general consumer. Creative dominated the PC audio market and remains unchallenged by a major competitor since the late 1990s.

Achievements and recognition

At age of 45, Sim Wong Hoo became the youngest millionaire in Singapore. He was also the first person to be named the Businessman of the Year [ [http://business-times.asiaone.com/mnt/html/sba/p_by.html Singapore Businessman of the Year Award Winners] ] twice, in 1992 and 1997. In 2002, he was named Person of the Year [ [http://www.scs.org.sg/ITLA_simwh.php SCS IT Leader Awards 2003, Person of the Year] ] by the Singapore Computer Society in recognition of his contribution to the IT industry. Sim is widely considered to be the star entrepreneur of Singapore and he currently chairs Singapore's Technopreneurship 21 Private Sector Committee.

In 1999, Sim Wong Hoo released a book entitled "Chaotic Thoughts From The Old Millennium". [Cite book |title=Chaotic Thoughts from the Old Millennium |last=Sim Wong Hoo |publisher=Creative O Pte Ltd |date=1999 |isbn=9810423837] He also coined and made famous the term "No U-turn syndrome" to describe the social behaviour of Singaporeans having a mindset of conformity to higher authorities before taking any action.fact|date=August 2008

ee also

*No U-Turn Syndrome (NUTS)
*Creative Technology

References

External links

* [http://www.creative.com/zenpatent/ Creative Technology, "ZEN Patent" ]
* [http://www.creative.com/corporate/investor/releases.asp?pid=12401 Press Release, "Creative Announces Q3 FY06 Financial Results"]
* [http://finance.google.com/finance?cid=656231 Google Finance, Creative Technology Ltd]
* [http://www.zilliontech.com/knowledge/simwonghoo.html Biography and Image Gallery of Sim Wong Hoo]