Metropolis sale
After publishing over 700 issues, the Devlins sell Metropolis to Lloyd, a New Zealand and Australian dual national, based in Japan. Over 14 years the magazine has grown to over 80 full-color pages every week made by a team of 35 staff from all over the world. The magazine has annual sales of ¥360 million and 20% profit, from hundreds of display and commercial classified advertisers and is, by far, Japan’s No 1 English magazine. A brief history of Metropolis is here.
Establishes Linc Media
Establishes LINC Media, a systems integration and incubation company. By 2008 the company has annual revenue of US$15 million and 140 employees. Lloyd says he runs his companies with two mottos:
Make a profit, and have mutual respect.
Starts LINC Computer
Starts an outsourcing business called LINC Computer, which Lloyd claims is the first foreign-run IT company in Japan specifically servicing other foreign firms.