Gil Simpson Explained

Sir Gilbert Simpson (born 5 April 1948) is a New Zealand businessman and computer programmer.

Early life

Simpson was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 5 April 1948,[1] and raised in the Waikato. He was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School,[1] and in 1967 began his career as a computer programmer, at age 18.

Career

In 1969 he wrote the initial direct debit and direct credit applications which are in common use throughout the New Zealand banking industry today. By age 22 he was Head of Computer Programming at the Comalco aluminium smelter in Bluff, which at that time was the largest industrial project ever undertaken in New Zealand.

He returned to Christchurch around 1972, making it his home permanently. He lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, working as a programmer for Caterpillar Inc. between 1976 and 1978, after which he returned to New Zealand to develop a new concept in computer programming through his creation of the fourth generation language LINC, New Zealand's most successful software export to date. He has resided in Christchurch ever since, where there is now a street named after him Sir Gil Simpson Drive.[2]

Simpson is the founder of the Aoraki Corporation (later known as Jade Software Corporation),[3] developers of the LINC 4GL and Jade programming language,[4] who are also well known for their past sponsorship of Christchurch's Jade Stadium. More recently he founded Jolly Good Software Pty Ltd in 2006.[5]

Simpson is recognised around the world as an advisor and speaker on Information Technology, particularly in the area of e-commerce.

Honours and awards

In the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours, Simpson was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for public services. In the 2000 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to information technology, commerce and the community.[6] Later in 2000 Simpson received The New Zealand Computer Society's Supreme Award for the most outstanding contribution to computing in New Zealand in the 20th century. [7] In 2005, he was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame,[8] an honour reserved for business leaders responsible for outstanding contributions to the nation. In 2008 Simpson received an NZX Flying Kiwi Award and joined the PricewaterhouseCoopers NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame.[9] Simpson has also been a director on the board of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.[10]

His honours and awards include:

Personal life

Simpson is married to Joyce Adele, Lady Simpson, known as Joy Simpson. She has been active in community activities and fundraising since the 1970s, and has been described as one of the 50 most powerful people in Christchurch.[19] In the 2016 New Year Honours, Lady Simpson was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to philanthropy.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Taylor . Alister . Coddington . Deborah . Alister Taylor . Deborah Coddington . Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand . 1994 . New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa . Auckland . 0-908578-34-2 . 337.
  2. Web site: Google Maps . Google.co.nz . 22 May 2016.
  3. Web site: Aoraki christens Jade with $10m UK contract – Business – NZ Herald News . . 30 January 2002 . 11 February 2016.
  4. Web site: Jade Software Corporation. 21 December 2019.
  5. Web site: Jolly Good Software. 21 December 2019.
  6. Web site: New Year honours list 2000 . 31 December 1999. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 18 August 2019.
  7. Web site: Honorary Fellows of the IITP (HFIITP) . https://web.archive.org/web/20120710045646/http://www.iitp.org.nz/about/honfellows . dead . 10 July 2012 . About the IITP . Institute of IT Professionals of New Zealand . 25 April 2013 .
  8. http://www.enzt.co.nz/~enztWeb/halloffame/2005/hof2005a.htm
  9. Web site: Flying Kiwis – HITECH Awards . Hitech.org.nz . 22 May 2016.
  10. Web site: Sorry, the page you're looking for is not here . Rbnz.govt.nz . 15 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130517211748/http://rbnz.govt.nz/about/whatwedo/rbnz_2000_ar.pdf . 17 May 2013 . dead .
  11. Web site: Home « Royal Society of New Zealand . Rsnz.org . 11 October 2013 . 15 October 2013.
  12. Web site: ECAT Core Group Members . 22 March 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928120218/http://www.ecommerce.govt.nz/ecat/core.html. 28 September 2007 .
  13. Web site: E-commerce summit attracts huge interest . beehive.govt.nz . 16 August 2000 . 15 October 2013.
  14. Web site: NZBR : ASOS signs new logistics contract . Nzbr.org.nz . 11 February 2016.
  15. Web site: New Zealand Institute of Management homepgae. 22 March 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080226040322/http://managementsouth.co.nz/ . 26 February 2008 .
  16. http://www.iod.org.nz/Home/Member%20Lists.aspx
  17. Web site: RDNS Patron's Council. 22 March 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070829072048/http://rdns.com.au/About/Patrons+Council.htm . 29 August 2007 .
  18. Web site: CIO Awards 2019 – Winners & Finalists. 23 June 2019.
  19. Web site: New Year honours 2016 – citations for Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit . 14 December 2015 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 22 June 2019.

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