Investor Relations

Solomon Systech Appoints New Board Directors

Broadens Professional Mix and Improves Corporate Governance

( Hong Kong – March 21, 2004 ) – Solomon Systech (International) Limited (“Solomon Systech” / the “Group”), the leading flat panel display integrated circuit (“IC”) solutions provider, announced today that it has appointed new Directors to the Board.  Mr. Barry Lam has been appointed as the Group’s Non-executive Chairman, while Mr. Patrick Choy, Mr. Patrick Sun, and Professor Kao Kuen will become Independent Non-executive Directors.   At the same time, Mr. W.C. Lai, the Group’s Quality & Manufacturing Director and Mr. W.M. Lo, Business Operations Director, were also appointed as Executive Directors of the Group.  These appointments take place with immediate effect.

 

Following the appointments, Solomon Systech’s Board of Directors will consist of ten members – four Executive Directors, three Non-executive Directors and three Independent Non-executive Directors.  The Executive Directors, Mr. Humphrey Leung, Mr. H.H. Huang, Mr. W.C. Lai and Mr. W.M. Lo are responsible for the management of daily operations, sales and marketing and the formulation of business strategies.  Having worked together as a team for over 10 years in a multinational enterprise prior to 1999, they have an average of 20 years of industry experience.  At the same time, the Group’s Non-executive Directors, Mr. Barry Lam, Mr. Steven Chang and Mr. Frankie Wong, all successful business executives in the region, represent shareholders’ interests on the Board.  Last but not least, upholding the highest principles of corporate governance, the Independent Non-executive Directors, Mr. Patrick Choy, Mr. Patrick Sun and Professor Kao Kuen will provide ongoing monitoring of the Group’s corporate transparency and information disclosures.  

 

Mr. Humphrey Leung, the Group’s Managing Director said, “We are very pleased to appoint new Directors to the Board who will not only bring additional diversity and skills to a high caliber group of business professionals, but will also help us to further explore the unprecedented business growth opportunities ahead.  We welcome Mr. Barry Lam to be our Group’s Non-executive Chairman which we believe his business acumen in leading Quanta Computer into a world-class enterprise specializing in hi-tech development will be of significant value to us.  The Group is also pleased to have Professor Kao Kuen in our Board and believes his technological and academic achievements will give valuable inspirations to our business development.”

 

Biographies of the ten Board Directors:

 

Executive Directors:

 

Mr. Humphrey Leung is the founder and Managing Director of the Group and has over 20 years’ experience in the semiconductors industry.  Prior to 1999, Mr. Leung was the Director of Operations of Motorola Semiconductors Hong Kong Limited.  His working experience covered IC design, wafer fabrication, engineering, manufacturing and marketing.  He was one of the first few IC designers who started the IC design industry in Hong Kong in the late 70’s.  He worked in Silicon Valley in California in IC design and in the Motorola Inc. wafer fab in Austin , Texas .    Currently, he is Director of the Society for Information Display, Hong Kong Chapter and Vice-chairman of Hong Kong Electronics Industry Council of Federation of Hong Kong Industries and executive committee member of Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association.  Mr. Leung received the Young Industrialist Award of Hong Kong in 2001 and the Outstanding Polytechnic University Alumni Award in 2003.

 

Mr. H.H. Huang is the Sales Director of the Group, responsible for sales, market development and field applications support.  He has 19 years of management experience and 23 years of working experience in the electronics industry.  He worked in Motorola Inc. for 11 years covering functions such as product marketing, planning and sales.

 

Mr. W.C. Lai is the Quality and Manufacturing Director of the Group, responsible for quality assurance, sub-contractor management and manufacturing technology.  He has 23 years of management experience with expertise in IC production and testing.  He was the Senior Quality Manager of Motorola Semiconductors Hong Kong Limited before joining the Group. 

 

Mr. W.M. Lo is the Business Operations Director of the Group, responsible for product engineering, test engineering, product marketing, product application and corporate communications.  He has 13 years of management experience and 17 years of working experience in the semiconductor industry with a focus on new product and business development.

Non-executive Directors:

 

Mr. Barry Lam is the founder, Chairman and CEO of Quanta Computer Inc. (TSE: 2382) and has over 30 years of experience in the industry.  Under Mr. Lam’s distinguished leadership, Quanta Computer is now the largest notebook computer manufacturer worldwide with a market capitalization of approximately US$6.7 billion.  In both 1999 and 2001, Mr. Lam was accredited by BusinessWeek as one of the fifty “Stars of Asia”.  In 2002, he was highlighted in BusinessWeek’s list of top 25 managers of the year for his achievements in taking Quanta forward as the number one notebook manufacturer in the world.

 

Mr. Steven Chang, Chairman and CEO of China International Development Consulting, Inc. (“CIDI”), has 13 years of management experience. CIDI is a venture capital firm.  It has invested in over 25 companies across Asia ranging from IC testing and assembly to component manufacturers for the telecommunication market, online role playing gaming and online advertising systems.  

 

Mr. Frankie Wong, Managing Director of Shui On Holdings Ltd. and also Vice Chairman of Shui On Construction and Materials Limited (HKSE: 983), has 28 years of management experience.  The Shui On Group is engaged principally in property development and investment, construction and construction materials businesses in Hong Kong and Mainland China , with total assets of over HK$10 billion and employees about 10,000.

 

Independent Non-executive Directors:

 

Mr. Patrick Choy, who has more than 30 years of management experience, is the founder and Chairman of Global Strategy Company Limited which provides media, property and consultancy advisory services.  Mr. Choy has also been appointed by the PRC Government as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, the top consultative and supervisory organization to the PRC Government.  Mr. Choy is also a Standing Committee member of the CPPCC of Tianjin, the PRC.

 

Mr. Patrick Sun, a member of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants, is currently Chairman of the Global Strategy Committee of Kingsway International Holdings Limited, Honorary Chief Executive Officer of The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies and Vice Chairman of Nexcel Limited.  He has over 18 years of experience in investment banking and was formerly the Deputy Convenor of the Listing Committee and a member of the Council of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. 

 

Professor Kao Kuen, who has received numerous awards in Hong Kong , United Kingdom , the United States , Italy , Sweden and Japan , pioneered the research and development of optical fibre communication transmission systems and has more than 46 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.  He is a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in Hong Kong , United Kingdom and the United Sates and was previously Chairman of the Energy Advisory Committee in Hong Kong .  During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor (President) of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, he instituted quality assurance measures that enabled the University to achieve a very high standing internationally, making it one of the top universities for excellence in teaching and research.