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‘I am convinced that if opportunity doesn’t knock he would build a door’

“It seems more than appropriate that the inaugural winner of the Adrenaline Life Achievement Award for Commitment To Educational Excellence is a creative guy at heart. Yes, Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing – a legend of his times – was once an illustrator. This man of extraordinary vision and energy, a true pioneer in the field of creative education, once made a living with a pencil, paper and his vibrant imagination.

The communications industry has few role models the same calibre as Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing. He is foremost a strategist, among Asia’s best creative minds, who has influenced people through his many campaigns, both national and international. His advertising years saw him the recipient of more than 100 awards. But the most notable campaigns in his over 30-year involvement in communications include the global fund-raising to rebuild Bosnia-Herzegovina and the voter education exercise in South Africa’s first democratic elections.

Malaysians will remember his Inflasi Sifar and Rakan Muda campaigns as well as his contributions to anchor the success of the XVI Commonwealth Games Kuala Lumpur 1998.

Tan Sri Dato’ Lim began his career as a teenager. His short stint in journalism resulted in a foray into drawing cartoons. Long before Lat captured our hearts with his caricatures, Tan Sri Dato’ Lim was tickling the nation with first his ABU series and then later Guli Guli, featured in the main English newspaper – The New Straits Times. You could say that he paved the way for the recognition of local talent. And that was just his first success. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he innovated, he pioneered and made it possible for talented Malaysians to find a platform to launch their careers.

His entry into advertising resulted in his appointment as the region’s first and youngest Asian creative director for Lintas – a multinational agency. He was in his 20s. In that position he lobbied to get the Malaysian viewpoint across in advertising. His newly set up Wings Creative Consultants was another trailblazing effort that helped big private corporations give their trust to local agencies to handle their communications.

Today, the name Lim Kok Wing is synonymous with creative education. The Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology was yet another pioneering endeavour that helped talented Malaysians gain international qualifications right here in Kuala Lumpur.

The school, based on a strategic premise that worked to empower young people with the right skills and knowledge, made a grand entry in the early 90s. It gave the professional touch to creative careers and the insistence that all students acquire mastery of computer software and hardware raised the profile of the Limkokwing graduate as “most sought after employees” badly needed by businesses that were entering a new era of digital technology and e-business.

"In the knowledge-based economy it will be a new generation of high achievers, most creative and techno-savvy, who will be the driving force. Creativity is the be-all and end-all of human capability. The sky is no limit; the universe is the playground," said Tan Sri Dato’ Lim.

And now that same pioneering spirit has persuaded him to help moot the Malaysia Design Technology Centre, scheduled to be completed at its new location in Cyberjaya next year.

"We look to countries like the US and Germany to provide what the world perceives as good products," said Tan Sri Dato’ Lim at a recent interview. "These are inventive countries. They are driven by creative energy. The role of design is prominent in the goods they make and the enjoyment of all of these is enhanced by design. I’ve worked my entire life to achieve this and I believe that when MDTC opens it doors next year it will make Malaysia a creative hub," he said.

Adrenaline is proud to present Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kok Wing with the inaugural Adrenaline Life Achievement Award for Commitment To Educational Excellence. Congratulations, Tan Sri, we are all forever indebted to you for your awesome contribution to creative education.”