SPH reorganises magazines

Singapore - SPH Magazines will integrate Hardware Zone's titles into its Lifestyle division and reshuffle the latter's internal structure by extending its editorial remit to include SPH Magazine's online properties.

"The integration enables us to ration our resources to take advantage of the potential in search marketing and research developmental work. Our multimedia platforms can truly be seamless to each other and the advantages can be further translated to more convenient access for our advertisers and readers so that they can derive higher value returns for their investment with us," said Loh Yew Seng, CEO of SPH Magazines.

From 2009, all Hardware Zone staff will be relocated to SPH Media Centre and will be responsible for developing and growing the search engine marketing business and position itself as an online research and development and technology services firm. Jackie Lee remains as CEO of Hardware Zone while Jereme Wong and Joe Ang are COO and CTO respectively.

HWM, GameAxis Unwired, Photovideoi and hardwarezone.com will hence be under the charge of SPH Magazines Lifestyle division, headed by MD of SPH Magazines, Allen Loh, with MD of Hardware Zone, Eugene Low, assisting as deputy MD. The division will now have three main sections. Existing units "Fashion & Beauty", "Men's and Special Interests" will be retained and headed by GM Irene Tan, and Loh. The third is a new online unit "New Media" and Hardware Zone's Lim Chuan Jer will oversee the new arm as GM.

Apart from the Lifestyle division, other changes include the specialist division, Luxury, which will now house both Icon and The Peak headed by Dennis Pua, MD of SPH Magazines and assisted by Adrian Chue, GM. Also, another specialist division, Custom, which produces titles for Singapore Airlines, Oneo15 Marina Club, and several government agencies will be under Christopher Tay, GM.

"With the global trend of readers alternating between print and online medium fervently, it is important for publishers to leverage on the strengths and know-hows of our traditional media onto the online front and new media platforms. There is a growing emphasis to constantly understand readers' consumption behaviour and by using technology, bridge those trends as opportunities to our advertisers," Jackie Lee, CEO of Hardware Zone, said.

Group Editor in Chief, Caroline Ngui, will be in charge of all the editorial teams under SPH Magazines.

TITLES UNDER LIFESTYLE DIVISION