Gil Simpson

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For". Template:DMCA Template:DMCA Sir Gilbert Simpson KNZM QSM (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.

In the 1989 local elections, Simpson stood in the Papanui ward of Christchurch City Council as part of the Christchurch Action ticket formed by Margaret Murray. He came fourth of six candidates in the ward that returned two councillors.[6][7]

Honours and awards

In the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours, Simpson was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for public services.[8] 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.[9] 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. [10] In 2005, he was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame,[11] 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.[12] Simpson has also been a director on the board of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.[13]

His honours and awards include:

  • An honorary doctorate from the University of Canterbury, D.Sc. (h.c.)
  • Past presidency of the Royal Society of New Zealand,[14] of which he is now an honorary member
  • Chairman of the New Zealand government's E-Commerce Action Team[15]
  • Chair of the New Zealand E-Commerce Summit, 2000[16]
  • Chairman of the Christchurch City Mission[citation needed]
  • Associate membership of the New Zealand Business Roundtable [17]
  • Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management,[18] and past membership on the NZIM advisory board
  • Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors[19]
  • Honorary Fellow of the Institute of IT Professionals[10]
  • Founding patron of the Royal District Nursing Service, Australia [20]
  • Outstanding Contribution to Technology and Business in New Zealand, New Zealand CIO Awards[21]

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.[22] In the 2016 New Year Honours, Lady Simpson was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to philanthropy.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 337. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Google Maps". Google.co.nz. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Aoraki christens Jade with $10m UK contract". The New Zealand Herald. 30 January 2002. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jade Software Corporation". Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jolly Good Software". Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Forrester, Kay (14 August 1989). "Murray's team attacks opponents". The Press. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Declaration of results of elections: Christchurch City". The Press. 28 October 1989. p. 88. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.[Script error: No such module "London Gazette util". "No. 50553"]. The London Gazette (Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".). 14 June 1986. p. Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help); More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Year honours list 2000". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1999. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  10. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Honorary Fellows of the IITP (HFIITP)". About the IITP. Institute of IT Professionals of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  11. ^ [1] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Flying Kiwis – HITECH Awards". Hitech.org.nz. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sorry, the page you're looking for is not here" (PDF). Rbnz.govt.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home « Royal Society of New Zealand". Rsnz.org. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ECAT Core Group Members". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."E-commerce summit attracts huge interest". beehive.govt.nz. 16 August 2000. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."NZBR : ASOS signs new logistics contract". Nzbr.org.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Zealand Institute of Management homepage". Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  19. ^ [2] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RDNS Patron's Council". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."CIO Awards 2019 – Winners & Finalists". Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  22. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Year honours 2016 – citations for Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
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