Asiaweek names Asia's 25 'Digital Elite'

Asian Economic News, Oct 23, 2000

HONG KONG, Oct. 18 Kyodo

Hong Kong-based Asiaweek magazine said Wednesday it has named 25 Asians as ''Digital Elite'' for their role in shaping the region's high-tech future.

The 25 include innovators, new-media barons, entrepreneurs, pundits, programmers and politicians.

Among them are five from Japan: Masayoshi Son, president of Softbank Corp.; Mari Matsunaga, editor-in-chief of eWoman; Ken Kutaragi, president and chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.; Kiichi Enoki, director of the gateway business department of NTT DoCoMo Inc.; and Yuji Horii, director of Enix Corp.

Hong Kong has eight people on the list: Richard Li, chairman of Pacific Century CyberWorks; James Murdoch, chairman of STAR TV; Peter Yip, vice chairman of Chinadotcom; Anthony Yip, chairman of Myrice.com; Matei Mihalca, head of Internet research (Asia Pacific) at Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.; William Lo, chairman of Netalone.com; Hanson Cheah, executive director of AsiaTech Ventures; and David Mok, chairman of Lemon.

Taiwan's Stan Shih, chairman and founder of the Acer Group, and Jeffery Koo Jr., president of Chinatrust Commercial Bank, are also on the list.

From China, Information Technology and Telecom Industries Miniser Wu Jichuan; Juliet Wu, president of TCL I.T. Industry Group; and Edward Tian, president of China Netcom, are on the list.

India contributed Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of the state of Andhra Pradesh; and Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys Technologies.

Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo and Sim Wong Hoo, chairman of Creative Technology, also made the list.

From South Korea, Chin Dae Je, president of Digital Media of Samsung Electronics Co.; Lee Jae Woong, chief executive officer of Daum Communications; and Lee Yong Teh, director and chairman of Thrunet, are on the list.

''Not all these people have the vision, not all are fabulously wealthy, but they do have a couple of things in common: influence, through deeds and words, and a willingness to forge ahead when there is no clear path,'' Asiaweek said in a statement.

The magazine will carry a complete report on the list in its edition due out Friday.