SPH Media elevates deputy CEO to managing director

SPH Media has appointed deputy chief executive Kuek Yu Chuang (pictured) as managing director, putting the former Netflix and iQIYI executive in charge of the media group’s day-to-day operations and immediate to medium-term growth plans.

The appointment took effect on 1 October, as part of a wider leadership transition at SPH Media, according to The Straits Times. In his role, Kuek will oversee the organisation as it continues to navigate a rapidly changing media landscape, while remaining responsible for its overall performance and growth. He will also join the boards of SPH Media Trust and SPH Media Holdings.

Kuek joined SPH Media in July 2024 as deputy chief executive, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the government and private sectors. At SPH Media, he has overseen strategy and operations alongside commercial functions including marketing, subscriptions and media solutions

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Before joining SPH Media, Kuek held senior roles across the technology and entertainment sectors. He was vice president of international business at iQIYI, where he was responsible for strategic planning, marketing, business development and public affairs for its international operations.

Prior to that, he was a vice president and managing director for Asia Pacific at ICANN and held a senior director role at Yahoo!. He also spent time at Netflix, where he was involved in the company's Asia Pacific operations.

Kuek began his career in the Singapore government, working as a diplomat, trade negotiator and policy-maker across the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Law. He studied international relations at Peking University under a government scholarship, followed by postgraduate studies in East Asian Studies at Harvard and an Executive MBA at INSEAD.

His new role comes as SPH Media places greater emphasis on connecting its journalism with technology and evolving audience behaviour. In April, the company partnered Google across content and distribution, AI capability building, talent and ecosystem development, and audience engagement.

Commenting on his appointment, Kuek said the media landscape continues to evolve and that SPH Media will need to combine its trusted journalism with fast-evolving technology.

“This will deepen reader engagement on SPH’s owned-and-operated platforms, while making sure that accurate news coverage is conveyed across generative and agentic AI environments,” he said.

Kuek takes on the role as Chan Yeng Kit moves from CEO to executive chairman of SPH Media Trust and SPH Media Holdings, succeeding Khaw Boon Wan, who is retiring after five years as chairman.

Chan will continue to hold an expanded leadership role, while Kuek takes charge of the organisation's daily operations and growth.

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