For immediate release (Calgary, AB Canada)
March 15,  2000
 

Calgary, AB (March 15, 2000) - Michael Lobsinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) today announced two changes to the senior management structure at Zi. Lobsinger promoted the current senior vice president, Marketing & Sales, Antoine Blondeau to the role of president and chief operating officer of Zi’s software business. He also announced the appointment of Peter Inman as chief financial officer following the retirement of Rodney Mitton. Mr. Lobsinger continues to oversee the development and growth of Zi’s two main business segments as the company’s chairman and chief executive officer.

"We are working on a very aggressive campaign for both product development and acquisitions to further increase our scope and size," says Lobsinger. "Antoine Blondeau has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, organizational skills and the ability to execute on sales agreements. He has been instrumental in positioning the company where we are today."

Blondeau will oversee technology, product development, project implementation, marketing, sales, intellectual property and linguistics. During his career, he has helped numerous Japanese companies to settle in France, including Mitsubishi Electric, Canon, Toshiba and Sony through his work with the office of the Prime Minister of France. In 1994, Blondeau began to manage the expansion of Nortel Networks digital wireless terminal business in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as its worldwide terminals original equipment manufacturers business.

"We are transitioning from a research and development company to an operating company," Lobsinger continues. "Peter Inman’s experience in strategic planning, financial management, mergers and acquisitions and depth of experience in international operations brings the leadership and development necessary for our growing company."

Zi’s incoming chief financial officer, Peter Inman brings 17 years of experience in the high-tech industry. He is a chartered accountant and holds a masters degree from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Inman gained his accounting designation with Arthur Andersen & Co., where he was a senior manager supervising assignments in the United Kingdom, Canada and Iran. Most recently, Inman was chief financial officer for an American healthcare Internet start-up.

Zi’s current chief financial officer, Rodney Mitton, has retired from administering the day-to-day operations for the company, but has committed to remain on a consulting basis through the transition with Peter Inman. "I am disappointed to see Rod go, but pleased he will consult through the transition," says Lobsinger.

Zi Corporation is a leading provider of embedded software technology and educational products. The company’s core product, eZiText^TM connects people to short messaging, email, e-commerce, web browsing and similar applications in almost any written language. Zi’s strategic partners use the technology to enable information and Internet appliances that meet the needs of consumers, business, government and education systems. Zi Corporation supports its strategic partners from offices in Calgary, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shenzhen and Stockholm. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ZIC).

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The information in this press release is based on Zi Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions, and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such risks include, among others, general business and economic conditions and competitive actions as well as the risks and uncertainties referred to in Zi Corporation’s 20-F for the most recent calendar year.

For further information, please contact: 

Karen Attwell 
Manager, Investor/Media Relations 
Phone: (403) 233-8875 
Email: investor@zicorp.com
Web site: http://www.zicorp.com/