Hong Kong, 3 December 2009:   Outblaze (www.outblaze.com), the leading web development and services company, today announced that Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Yat Siu has been awarded the Young Entrepreneur Award at the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards 2009 (http://www.hkbusinessawards.com/). The Young Entrepreneur Award honours persons under 40 years of age who have made substantial contributions to a Hong Kong business through the application of outstanding talent, originality, innovation, and managerial skills.

 

Mr. Yat Siu, a graduate of the Musik Konservatorium in Vienna, Austria, launched his career in the technology sector in 1990 working for Atari Germany. His business instinct and technological acumen led him to the U.S., and within three years he was a director and Head of East Coast Operations for Lexicor, a professional graphics software company based in Silicon Valley.

 

Yat Siu moved to Hong Kong in 1996, where he set up Hong Kong Cybercity, the first free web page and email provider in Asia. Later renamed Freenation, the business grew rapidly and was acquired by a U.S. based company. In 1997 Yat joined AT&T Solutions’ System Integration practice, but left in 1998 to set up Outblaze, which developed innovative web-based multilingual white label communication and collaboration services.

 

Yat Siu’s steady leadership and vision steered Outblaze through the Dotcom Bubble and several subsequent crises. Outblaze became a world leader in white label hosted web services, winning numerous awards and accolades. With over 75 million end-users under management, Outblaze secured clients and partners from all over the world and business sectors, including service providers, telecommunications operators, corporations, academia, media and publishing companies.

 

In April 2009, Outblaze messaging assets were sold to IBM and incorporated in IBM’s LotusLive suite of services. IBM also used the Outblaze assets to open its first cloud computing laboratory in Hong Kong. The transaction established beyond doubt that -like banking and finance services- Hong Kong’s local information technology can compete on a global scale.

 

“Receiving the Young Entrepreneur Award is an exceptional honour,” said Yat Siu, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Outblaze. “I share this award with all my colleagues, those dedicated and gifted people who have made Outblaze the success it is today. We are all extremely proud of this recognition and consider it further motivation to keep innovating.”

 

“2009 is a special year. Not only does it mark the 20th anniversary of DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards, but also recognize those businesses which have successfully weathered the global economic turmoil started from late last year, and at the same time made a positive contribution to the world,” said Mr. Jerry Hsu, President, Greater China Area, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “With excellent business results and wide respect in the community, the winners are certainly well deserved. Their commitment and efforts have helped sustain the wellbeing of Hong Kong business community amid all these challenges.”

 

“As a co-organizer of the Awards, we are impressed by the number of nominees; all of whom have played a significant part in the expansion of the local economy and have been instrumental in setting benchmarks for future success. The winners not only achieved business success in 2008/ 2009, but also in the community as responsible corporate citizens” said Mr. Reginald Chua, Editor- in-Chief, South China Morning Post.

 

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About Outblaze

Outblaze Ltd. was founded in Hong Kong in 1998 and is privately held. Originally a pioneer in the field of multilingual communication services for online communities, Outblaze today develops and provides various cloud computing services across digital media, including Web services, online virtual community services, online transaction systems, and more. Outblaze is a company of innovators who are passionate about information technology, and whose mission is the delivery of powerful digital media and web 2.0 products

 

Outblaze collaborates with clients to create customized solutions tailored to meet their specific needs without requiring them to invest in expensive software and hardware. The company handles all operations of the service, leaving clients free to focus on their core competencies. For more information please visit www.outblaze.com.

 

About DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards

The Hong Kong Business Awards were established by DHL and the South China Morning Post in 1990 to acknowledge publicly the vital contributions made by individuals and by companies in maintaining and expanding the economic viability and international stature of Hong Kong; and to encourage and sustain the Hong Kong entrepreneurial spirit and highlight and recognize excellent standards of corporate management.

 

There are four categories for individuals, namely, Business Person of the Year Award, Executive Award, Owner-Operator Award and Young Entrepreneur Award; and four for companies, namely, International Award and China Company Award, Enterprise Award and SME Award. Nominations are made by individuals or by public or private organizations. Nominees who meet the criteria for the respective categories will be invited to participate. Those who accept the nominations will submit supporting documents for the judging panel, who will vote for a winner for each category.

 

Over the past nineteenth years, the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards has successfully established its status as one of the most prestigious and authoritative business awards in Hong Kong.

 

Contact:
Ibrahim El-Mouelhy

Outblaze Ltd.

Tel: +852 2534-1234

Email: pr@outblaze.com