Star Media Group promotes chief digital officer to COO

Star Media Group has appointed chief digital officer Roy Tan to the role of group COO. He will replace current group COO Calvin Kan and be in charge of building and managing Star Media Group's overall digital capability, The Star reported.Tan joined the group in November 2013 as COO for the digital division and has worked at Jumptank, an innovation agency under Dentsu Aegis Network. He has over two decades of experience in advertising and media agencies.The group has also appointed Lydia Wang, current deputy senior general manager (advertising and business development), to the role of chief revenue officer, replacing incumbent Lim Bee Leng. Before joining the group, Wang was Taylor’s Education Group’s VP for brand management and corporate marketing. She also worked at Digi Telecommunications and Parkson Corporation.Meanwhile, executive editor Esther Ng will take on the role of chief content officer, replacing Leanne Goh. Prior to becoming executive editor, Goh was the Sunday Star editor in 2015, and also served in the news section of the media group as news editor in 2010. She joined the publication in 1992.The appointments were effective May 2018, and Kan, Goh and Lim have chosen to retire early, The Star said.Recently, the group announced that it will cease all printing activities at Star Northern Hub (SNH) in Penang this September, in line with efforts to centralise nationwide printing. This is part of its ongoing cost rationalisation exercise.In May, the group said it will further expand on its digital plans revolving around its Star Online news portal, as well as cut cost and improve operating margins. Some of its cost-cutting measures include reduction in headcount.The group posted a net profit of RM87.44mil for the financial year ended 31 December 2017. Its print and digital segment recorded an 18.3% decrease in revenue to RM37.75 million, due to poor consumer and business sentiment. Last November, however, it added that it will continue to defend the print segment while building on other media platforms.