SCMP nabs former Ebiquity and GroupM talent David Wightman to grow global advertising

The South China Morning Post has hired David Wightman to the newly created role of global head of advertising. According to the company, the senior-level appointment signals the continued growth of SCMP, powered by adtech innovation and data-driven advertising effectiveness.

Wightman will spearhead the on-going growth and international expansion of SCMP’s global advertising business. He will lead a department spanning Hong Kong, mainland China, Asia, USA and Europe, and oversee global media sales, marketing and creative solutions, branded content, events, custom publishing, advertising technology, and sales operations.

“We are delighted to add a leader of Wightman’s global expertise and reputation, and look forward to broadening our business reach and international relevance with his strategic, operational and commercial experience,” said Gary Liu, CEO of SCMP. “His C-suite exposure across the EMEA and APAC markets will greatly benefit SCMP’s growing portfolio of international clients.”

Wightman has more than two decades of industry experience, gained at the intersection of media, data and technology. He has previously built and led local and international sales and operations teams within digital and traditional media companies. Before joining SCMP, Wightman was based in London as the group director of business operations for Ebiquity. Prior to that, he was the managing director of [M]Platform, where he launched and scaled the regional programmatic, data and technology division of GroupM Asia Pacific. 

As the chief operating officer of GiveMeSport, he overhauled the editorial and content marketing approach, increasing readership, revenues and investment. Earlier in his career, Wightman held senior commercial leadership roles at media organisations, including Geeknet, CBS Interactive, Yahoo!, and Mirror Group Newspapers. 

“I am energised and enthused to be joining SCMP,” said Wightman. “The award-winning history of the brand, coupled with an innovative approach to how we harness data and technology, offers an unprecedented opportunity. I believe the future is very exciting for our company, our advertising partners and our audiences.”

In May this year, the SCMP rebranded its advertising and marketing solutions team to SCMP Advertising. The rebranding is part of a strategic initiative to align its advertising business with its well established digital expertise to empower clients with tools that deliver more effective and efficient campaigns. Also, the company said the rebranding "solidifies SCMP Advertising’s position as a leading insight driven brand partner committed to driving client success across APAC, after being the first news publisher in Asia to launch a first party data platform in SCMP Lighthouse and brand suitability tool in SCMP Signal."

Meanwhile, in July, after 20 years with the firm, Elsie Cheung stepped down from chief operating officer of the South China Morning Post on 30 July 2021. In a farewell memo, Cheung said, working at the Post was an exciting time for her with the changes in the media industry and “witnessing SCMP grow from a local newspaper to a global news organisation, and seeing the company successfully transitioning into the digital age”.

Cheung was appointed COO  of SCMP  in January 2011 to bring about SCMP’s cultural and digital transformation. She spearheaded SCMP’s business operations, including advertising, marketing, circulation, and recruitment services, among other functions. 

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