Creative Technology interim CEO and executive chairman Tan Jok Tin to step down in Jan 2026

Tan has been in the interim role since July, when Freddy Sim stepped down as chief for health reasons

Creative Technology on Friday (Nov 21) announced that its interim chief executive officer and executive chairman Tan Jok Tin will be stepping down on Jan 15 next year.

The company did not name a replacement. It had earlier announced in July that it will look for a new CEO.

Tan, 73, had taken up the interim role in July when then CEO Freddy Sim stepped down for health reasons shortly after taking on the top job in May. He had also served as interim CEO between February and May 2025, following the retirement of former Creative Technology CEO Song Siow Hui.

Sim remained as Creative’s non-executive, non-independent director after stepping down.He is the younger brother of the company’s founder Sim Wong Hoo, who died in 2023.

Creative said that Tan will focus on other business and personal commitments. He is currently an independent director at China’s SuSing Fund Management.

At the technology group, he has been in the executive chairman role since September 2024 and has overseen the execution of the business and corporate strategy decisions made by the board. He has also been responsible for the overall operations of Creative’s businesses.

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The company in August posted a US$4.4 million net loss for the six months ended June, narrowing from the US$6.8 million loss in the year-ago period, as costs fell with lay-offs.

For the full year, it posted a US$10.5 million net loss, slightly lower than the year-ago’s US$10.8 million loss.

Shares of Creative fell 5.1 per cent to close S$0.03 lower at S$0.555 on Friday, before the announcement.

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