S'pore tech pioneer Lim Kia Hong dies at 67

Friends pay tribute to bold visionary’ who advanced IT distribution ecosystem in Asia

- Colin Tan

Mr Lim Kia Hong, 67, a pioneer in Singapore's information technology sector with a career spanning more than four decades, died on Aug 12 in Oregon, where he and his family attended his youngest son's graduation ceremony.

A co-founder of SIS Technologies, he started the business bringing in big brands from more advanced markets and selling both the hardware and software to businesses and institutions in Singapore and the region.

And over four decades, Mr Lim or KH, as he was known to his contemporaries grew the small family-held company in Singapore into a group of professionally managed and publicly traded regional businesses.

Among the listed companies that Mr Lim was instrumental in setting up were SIS International Group, as well as SIS Mobile Holdings on the Hong Kong Exchange; SIS Distribution on the Stock Exchange of Thailand; and Information Technology Consultants on both the Dhaka and Chittagong bourses.

For the full year till end December 2023, SIS International posted net profit of HK$160.4 million (S$27.11 million) and revenue of HK$9.07 billion was "KH's business success through discipline and sheer doggedness. There were no handouts from the Government," noted Ms Grace Chng, the former editor of Digital Life at The Straits Times who covered the birth of the IT sector.

She had interviewed Mr Lim multiple times, and they had many conversations just "talking shop". Like many of his work associates, they became friends over the years.

Industry stalwart Natasha Kwan, who held leadership roles at Microsoft for two decades from the early 1990s, described him as a friend and "a true pioneer in IT distribution".

"In the 1980s, when PC technology was just beginning to shape our world, KH was a bold visionary, navigating uncharted waters with a passion and determination that inspired all who had the privilege to work alongside him.