ITP Media Group acquires Heart Media as it sets sights on Asia

ITP Media Group is expanding its footprint across Asia following its acquisition of Singapore-headquartered luxury and lifestyle media group Heart Media, in a landmark deal that will take the Middle East-based media company into Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The acquisition brings Heart Media’s brands and teams under the ITP Media name, expanding the group’s physical presence to 10 countries and its portfolio to 90 brands. The combined business will reach markets representing more than two billion people across the GCC, India and Asia-Pacific.

The deal marks a major international expansion for ITP Media Group, which is now looking to build a broader media ecosystem spanning luxury publishing, digital media, events, brand activations, gaming and live sports.

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Integration of Heart Media will be phased, with ITP saying the process is designed to protect editorial identities, client relationships and audience trust across the region.

The acquisition also gives ITP direct access to affluent audiences in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong through Heart Media’s luxury media portfolio, as demand for premium content and experiences continues to grow across Asia

ITP is also committing further investment following the acquisition, with plans to bolster existing teams, support local creative economies and create new opportunities across editorial, digital, design and live events.

The expanded group plans to roll out cross-border digital media, industry events, gaming tournaments, brand activations and live sporting experiences. For advertisers and sponsors, the combination is positioned as a single platform through which luxury brands can reach high-net-worth audiences across multiple markets.

The move comes as Southeast Asia’s media and entertainment sector continues to grow, with the region expanding at around 6% annually and some markets reaching growth rates of 8.4%, according to the PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook.

ITP is also betting on the continued growth of wealth across the region. Hong Kong has overtaken Switzerland as the leading global hub for cross-border wealth, according to BCG’s 2026 Global Wealth Report, while Singapore and Hong Kong are home to more than 4,000 single-family offices. Malaysia, meanwhile, is expected to see a 20% increase in ultra-high-net-worth individuals over the next five years, according to Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2026.

For Heart Media, the deal provides a larger international platform following years of growth across Asia. Founder Olivier Burlot will join the ITP Media Group board and, as part of a phased equity transition, will continue to provide strategic licensing direction for the group’s owned and operated products.

Wilson Lim will also continue with the business as managing director of ITP Media Singapore and ITP Media Malaysia, supported by the existing operational, sales and editorial teams. He will oversee executive and management responsibilities across both markets.

The acquisition follows ITP’s recent 10-year agreement with Time Out to operate Time Out Hong Kong and Time Out Singapore, further strengthening the group’s presence in Asia.

ITP Media Group was founded in 1987 and has grown from a single B2B brand with five employees into a multinational media business with operations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. It currently reaches more than 200 million people each month.

ITP Media Group CEO Ali Akawi said the acquisition forms part of a wider strategy to scale the business internationally.

"At its core, ITP Media Group has always been about creating powerful content that connects people. As we look forward, our roadmap is focused on massive global scale. We are committed to a multi-year strategy of expansion and targeted acquisitions to build a media ecosystem capable of reaching billions worldwide," said Akwai.

"The acquisition of Heart Media Group strengthens our foundation as we scale our platforms, embrace new media technologies and bring world-class storytelling to a truly global audience," he added.

In tandem, Heart Media Group founder Olivier Burlot said that the acquisition would give the business greater scale and investment across the region.

"When we built Heart Media, the ambition was always to give Asia’s luxury and lifestyle audiences media truly worthy of them. Joining ITP is the natural next chapter – it takes everything we have created and gives it scale, investment and a bridge into one of the world’s fastest-growing luxury markets. I am proud of what our teams across Asia have built and genuinely excited by what they can now do with ITP’s reach behind them," he said.

The acquisition also builds on Heart Media’s existing expansion in Malaysia. In 2025, the group acquired Chinese-language luxury lifestyle publication NOBLE 名人, strengthening its reach among the country’s affluent Chinese-speaking consumers. Founded in 2021, the bi-monthly title has built ties with major Chinese business associations and complements Heart Media’s existing portfolio of titles including Men’s Folio, L’Officiel, L’Officiel Hommes, WOW and Yacht Style.

Heart Media has operated in Malaysia since 2007 and reaches more than 12 million affluent consumers monthly across its regional markets through print, digital and events. The NOBLE 名人 acquisition also expanded its Chinese-language offering across the market, with the publication spanning print, digital and broadcast through its partnership with TVB.

Photo credits to Heart Media, Facebook.

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