Simon Van Wyk

Simon van Wyk has worked on the digital transformation of automotive brands, publishers, pharmaceutical companies, software companies and insurance business. He founded Hothouse Interactive and his first customer was Microsoft. He launched BigPond, Amaysim and eTrade and worked on the Toyota brand from 2000 till 2015

He's been recognised as someone who makes digital understandable and I’ve been a writer, speaker and columnist for SMH, Mumbrella, B and T and Sky Business.

Simon helped Toyota become the number one automive brand on the Internet and we maintained that position for 12 years. Forrestor identified Toyota as the most useable Automotive site in the world.

The Internet arrived and it was the ultimate game changer. Nothing was guaranteed because the Internet created new opportunities that did not favour the status quo. How come Brittanica did not become the Wikipedia, how come Google evolved from a garage, how come Facebook was a university project and not something from Telstra. For the first time customers were empowered and anyone who forgot that was dead. Simon wanted to be part of that change and excited to be part of the customers transformation.

This all started back in 1995 when Simon built a comprehensive directory of sex education material. He worked with Family Planning and delivered a comprehensive advice to teenagers. The site was launched and after 6 months we were the 6th most accessed site in the world and were getting more traffic than any local site. Simon found himself ourselves deluged by questions from tormented teenagers across the world. The site was sold this to Microsoft but it was proof that if you deliver value the world is your stage.

The Internet will be the most transformational tool as business finally delivers to the needs of the customer. It's exciting to be part of that future. This book is a guide.