ITP Media Group has acquired Singapore-headquartered Heart Media Group, expanding the Middle East-based media company into Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
The combined business will operate across markets representing more than two billion people, connecting brands and affluent audiences throughout the GCC, India and Asia-Pacific.
Heart Media’s brands and teams will transition under the ITP Media name through a phased integration intended to preserve editorial identities, audience relationships and client relationships.
The acquisition builds on ITP’s existing presence in India, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, UK, U.S. and Qatar.
Heart Media’s portfolio includes ELLE, Esquire, Grazia, LUXUO, Men’s Folio, NOBLE, WOW and Yacht Style, giving ITP additional exposure to luxury and lifestyle audiences throughout Asia.
ITP plans to invest in the acquired operations across editorial, digital, design and live events while developing cross-border media, gaming tournaments, brand activations and sporting experiences.
Heart Media founder Olivier Burlot will join the ITP Media Group board and continue providing strategic licensing direction during a phased equity transition.
Wilson Lim will remain Managing Director of ITP Media in Singapore and Malaysia.
Following the acquisition, ITP Media has a physical presence in 10 countries and a portfolio of 90 brands. The company says its platforms currently serve more than 200 million people per month.
KEY QUOTES:
“At its core, ITP Media Group has always been about creating powerful content that connects people. As we look forward, our roadmap is focused on massive global scale. We are committed to a multi-year strategy of expansion and targeted acquisitions to build a media ecosystem capable of reaching billions worldwide. The acquisition of Heart Media Group strengthens our foundation as we scale our platforms, embrace new media technologies and bring world-class storytelling to a truly global audience.”
Ali Akawi, CEO of ITP Media Group
“When we built Heart Media, the ambition was always to give Asia’s luxury and lifestyle audiences media truly worthy of them. Joining ITP is the natural next chapter – it takes everything we have created and gives it scale, investment and a bridge into one of the world’s fastest-growing luxury markets. I am proud of what our teams across Asia have built and genuinely excited by what they can now do with ITP’s reach behind them.”
Olivier Burlot, Founder of Heart Media Group
