Hong Kong (15 June) – The South China Morning Post, a leading global news company that has reported on China and Asia for more than a century, announced today the appointment of Catherine So as its next Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Gary Liu effective 15 July. As previously announced, Liu will transition into a new role to oversee the development of Artifact Labs, a new blockchain and NFT company created by SCMP.
So’s appointment marks a new chapter for the Post which will benefit from her extensive media and technology leadership experience, strong track record for corporate transformation and innovation, and success in growing consumer-focused companies. Her background in digitalisation, audience development, and content commercialization make her an ideal leader to oversee SCMP’s next stage of audience and subscriber growth.
“We are thrilled to have Catherine as our next CEO. She brings exceptional leadership acumen to the company, and she will drive continued business growth with a deep focus on editorial excellence and user experience,” said Joe Tsai, Chairman of the SCMP Board of Directors.
“We also thank Gary for his dedication and contributions over five-and-a-half years as CEO. He has created a lasting legacy by transforming the Post digitally and culturally, and has empowered the company to further innovate with purpose and passion.”
So joins SCMP from Expedia Group where she was Managing Director of Asia Pacific overseeing its consumer brands in all APAC markets. She was Managing Director of Groupon Hong Kong, and has previously held leadership positions at iProperty Group (now REA Group), Tom Group, News Corporation, and AOL Time Warner.
Said So, “I am honoured to take on this position and thrilled to lead the South China Morning Post. The need for quality journalism has never been higher in today’s complex and polarised world. As a trusted news media company in Hong Kong and around the world, the Post is well-positioned to shape the global dialogue on Greater China and Asia.”
“Building on SCMP’s world-class editorial, I will focus on strengthening business fundamentals: growing our global readership base, and expanding commercial opportunities, through both product and technological innovations. I look forward to leading and working with the team to achieve the next phase of transformation and growth at SCMP.”
Said Liu, “SCMP is in great hands with Catherine as our next CEO. The Post will benefit from her deep digital and commercial expertise and her leadership experience. I look forward to SCMP’s continued growth under Catherine’s stewardship.”
ABOUT THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
The South China Morning Post is a leading global news company that has reported on China and Asia for more than a century. Founded in 1903, SCMP is headquartered in Hong Kong, where it is the city’s newspaper of record, with a growing correspondent staff across Asia and the United States. SCMP’s vision is to “Elevate Thought” and our mission is to “Lead the global conversation about China”. It is the recipient of hundreds of awards for its journalistic excellence, from such prestigious organisations as the World Association of News Publishers and the Online News Association. A digital-first media organisation, SCMP is also home to Goldthread, a content platform with a focus on food, travel and culture in China, and publishes a portfolio of premium lifestyle and fashion titles in Hong Kong including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire and Harper’s BAZAAR. In 2020, SCMP became the first news organisation in Asia to join the Trust Project, a consortium of top news companies developing global transparency standards for credible journalism.
For further information, please contact: