Coconuts Media names new leadership as Byron Perry relocates to US

Coconuts Media has appointed Vim Shanmugam (pictured) as its new GM and chief marketing officer. According to a statement on its website, Shanmugam takes over management of the business from Coconuts founder and former CEO, Byron Perry, who relocated to the United States from Singapore in late 2022.

Shanmugam will lead all operations at Coconuts Media, overseeing Coconuts, BK Magazine, and Soimilk publications; Coconuts TV factual video production department; and Grove in-house brand studio for clients. He will be in charge of all editorial, commercial, and staffing decision-making, leveraging his 18+ years of experience in producing content for TV, film, and digital platforms since joining Coconuts Media in 2020.

Shanmugam has also worked with the likes of NBC Universal, producing shows for Netflix and Hulu. He has also worked with prominent brands and agencies such as P&G, Unilever, Google, Ogilvy, Publicis, and GroupM. With his extensive experience and leadership, Coconuts Media is well-positioned for continued success.

“It’s a privilege to be entrusted with the reins of leading Coconuts. Perry has laid the foundations for an exciting future and I’m ready to shape and mold Coconuts into becoming a marquee media giant in the region and beyond,” said Shanmugam. “I’m thrilled to bring my expertise in content, marketing, and sales as we navigate this transformative time in the media landscape. Alongside our vibrant, skilled, and diverse teams I want to build the next phase of our company’s growth as we leverage and evolve Coconuts, BK Magazine, and Soimilk to drive deeper connections with our readers and partners.”

Perry will become chairman of Coconuts Media but have minimal involvement with day-to-day operations.

“It’s very hard to distill over a decade of founding and running a business into one pithy quote, so I won’t try,” said Perry. “But I do want to say that it has been an honour and pleasure of a lifetime to run Coconuts. Working with our stellar staff to tell the stories of that matter from Southeast Asia throughout the years has been a blast. You know who you are, and I thank you.”

Earlier last year, Stagwell entered into an affiliate partnership with Coconuts Media. Stagwell said the partnership "meaningfully expands" its media investment in Asia Pacific and adds a key partner with scaled content, production, and distribution capabilities to support global clients.

Coconuts Media reaches audiences in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Its publications include Coconuts, BK Magazine, and Soimilk. Aside from Grove, Coconuts Media also has Coconuts TV which produces documentary and unscripted programmes for the likes of Netflix, Discovery, and MTV.

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