Shirking a legal career to make a livelihood with computer gaming hardware proved an astute decision for the co-founder of Razer, Tan Min-Liang. Launched in 2005 in San Diego with American gamer Robert Krakoff, Razer offered tech peripherals that quickly gained a cult following with their sleek designs, cool factor and cutting-edge performance.

Today, Razer’s product offerings encompass everything from gaming laptops, mice, keyboards, mouse pads and chairs to fitness bands and tablets, each with its own near-rabid fan base. With Tan—an avid gamer himself since childhood—at the helm, the company notably raised $721 million in its oversubscribed IPO in Hong Kong in 2017. The firm is backed by Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings and Li Ka-shing’s Horizons Ventures. When Razer went public in November 2017, Tan became Singapore’s youngest self-made billionaire at just 40 years old.

In December 2021, Razer first announced its intention to privatise the company, and in April this year, 94.74 per cent of votes by shareholders sealed the tech giant’s privatisation—with the final company valuation standing at $3.2 billion. The delisting in May saw Razer offer HK$2.82 a share, and Tan’s net worth rose to $995 million. The move is set to fuel Razer’s plans to venture into the decentralised finance space; further expand its software and fintech business; and continue its gaming hardware offerings, which totaled $1.6 billion in revenue for 2021.

The company currently operates 18 offices worldwide and boasts 150 million users globally. Razer launched its $100-million Southeast Asia headquarters in Singapore’s One-North technology and business hub in October 2021, and has plans for a staff headcount of 1,000 as it eyes new revenue streams in console gaming, AI and crypto currency. The structure is partially powered by renewable energy.