Robin Hu remains CEO of renamed media firm following sale to Alibaba

Hong Kong

SINGAPOREAN Robin Hu remains at the helm of the media company including the South China Morning Post (SCMP), under a new owner and with a new name. The sale of the 113-year-old Hong Kong newspaper by Malaysian tycoon Robert Kuok's Kerry Group to Chinese billionaire Jack Ma's Alibaba Group was completed last Tuesday. That same day, it took down its digital paywall, making its online content free for all readers. Together with other assets such as magazines and outdoor media, the media company now under Alibaba is called SCMP Publisher Limited. Previously, it was under the SCMP Group, part of the Kerry Group. The SCMP Group will be renamed Armada Limited.

In an e-mail to The Straits Times, Mr Hu confirmed that he is still in charge of the SCMP media business. He explained that Alibaba had bought the media assets from Mr Kuok's Kerry Group but not the listed company shell and its remaining property portfolio. "I remain as CEO of SCMP Publisher Ltd which now holds all media assets previously owned by the SCMP Group listed on HKEX, of which I was CEO prior to the deal completion."