Creative Technology founder Sim Wong Hoo dies aged 67

SINGAPORE – Creative Technology chairman and chief executive Sim Wong Hoo, one of Singapore’s most famous tech entrepreneurs, died on Wednesday (Jan 4). He was 67.

Mr Sim founded the home-grown business in 1981, and had led the company since its inception.

Under his leadership, Creative became famous for its Sound Blaster sound cards and digital entertainment products. Its audio products include wireless speakers and headphones, amplifiers, digital audio converters and home theatre systems.

“On behalf of all staff of the company, the board expresses its deepest sorrow over the death of Mr Sim and conveys its condolences to his family,” said Creative in a bourse filing on Thursday, adding that Mr Sim died peacefully.

Creative’s board has appointed lead independent non-executive director Lee Kheng Nam as the company’s acting chairman and independent non-executive director Ng Kai Wa as acting vice-chairman.

It also appointed Mr Song Siow Hui, president of the company’s Creative Labs business unit, as interim chief executive officer.

Mr Song, who had worked with Mr Sim for more than 30 years, said his death was a sad and sudden development.

“We feel a great loss especially since Mr Sim and I recently had extensive discussions on the future direction of the company. During those discussions, Mr Sim was full of fresh vision. Even on the night before, he had a long discussion with the engineering team and was scheduled to meet with the online sales team the next day.

“The best thing to do now is to ensure the continued smooth running of the company, and also to execute and realise the vision and strategy that Mr Sim had for the company,” he said.

Former foreign minister George Yeo, a non-executive director on Creative’s board, said he was deeply saddened to lose an old friend.

“Still remember the evening he presented me and (then) President Ong Teng Cheong with a Nomad MP3 player storing 12 songs. He was always bubbling with ideas. Never left a meeting with him without new inspirations,” Mr Yeo wrote in a Facebook post.

Home-grown gaming hardware company Razer’s chief executive Tan Min-Liang said on Facebook that he often met Mr Sim to discuss things like audio technology and design.

“Will miss him – the technology world and Singapore has lost a legend,” he wrote.

ALSO READ: 23 influential people in tech putting Singapore on the world map

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.