Zi CORPORATION
NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release (Calgary, AB Canada)
October 24, 2000


Senior appointments at Zi highlight global expansion

Calgary, AB (Oct. 24, 2000) - Zi Corporation’s (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) rapid and successful global expansion has resulted in two senior corporate appointments. Gary Kovacs, Zi’s current senior vice president, marketing and sales is assuming the role of president and George Tai, Zi’s current senior vice president, general counsel is assuming the role of chief operating officer. These appointments are effective immediately.

"Gary and George have been instrumental in developing and executing the strategy behind the successes we’ve achieved this year," says Michael Lobsinger, chairman and CEO of Zi Corporation. "In their new roles Gary and George are responsible for managing Zi’s international business and global expansion. This team will continue to focus on our mission to provide leading intelligent interface solutions to the wireless and consumer Internet technologies space."

Gary Kovacs brings over 15 years of experience in the information technology sector. He has an extensive background in leadership, strategy, brand management, marketing, sales, operations and technology. Prior to joining Zi Corporation, Gary was with IBM Corporation, most recently as worldwide program director, software division based in New York.

George Tai has guided a variety of high tech companies in the areas of corporate securities, patents, financing and merger and acquisitions work. Prior to joining Zi, George was a founding member of Oxbow Equities Corp, a TSE listed venture capital company specializing in high tech start-up and healthcare companies. Prior to Oxbow, George practiced securities law in prominent law firms in Canada.

Complete profiles on both Gary Kovacs and George Tai are available on Zi’s Web site at http://www.zicorp.com/aboutzi4.htm. Antoine Blondeau is resigning as Zi’s current president and COO, but will remain through a transition period.

Zi Corporation is a leading provider of embedded software technology and educational products and services. The company’s core product, eZiText™ connects people to short messaging, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing and similar applications in almost any written language. Zi’s wholly owned subsidiary, Oztime.com, is China’s first Web-based education service provider. Zi supports its strategic partners from offices in Calgary, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shenzhen, Stockholm and Tokyo. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ National 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.

-30-


For further information, please contact:

Karen Attwell
Manager, Investor & Media Relations
Zi Corporation
Phone: 403 231 4575
Email: investor@zicorp.com
Web site: www.zicorp.com
  

Close Window