Tech in Asia Founder, COO Step Down After SPH Integration

Tech in Asia founder and CEO Willis Wee and COO Maria Li both stepped down on March 31, 2026, ending a 16-year founding era for one of Asia-Pacific's most recognized tech media platforms. Editor-in-chief Terence Lee will now take over operational leadership.

Founders Exit as SPH Integration Reaches Its Final Phase

Wee cited the company's integration with SPH Media and its move into "its next ops phase" as the reason for his departure. He will remain as an external adviser for six months, describing his future role as mostly to "cheerlead from the sidelines and occasionally offer unsolicited opinions."

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Li, who served as COO for more than seven years, called her tenure "one of the most formative experiences" of her life. She oversaw the company's rebuilding, growth, and its acquisition by SPH Media. Li stated she plans to return to the startup world to build a new venture.

SPH Media acquired Tech in Asia in November 2023 for approximately US$30 million in cash and shares. The deal was intended to strengthen SPH's tech and business news coverage, particularly for The Business Times.

A Platform Reshaped by 27 Months of Integration

The 27 months between the acquisition closing and the dual leadership departure mark a significant restructuring period. In July 2025, Tech in Asia reduced its workforce by approximately 18% and shut down its Indonesian-language platform, citing economic pressures and an unsustainable cost structure.

From April 2026, Tech in Asia joins a newly formed Features and Lifestyle Division within SPH Media, combining with SPH's Lifestyle Media team. This structural change formally ties Tech in Asia's editorial direction to SPH's broader content priorities.

Under Terence Lee, the platform plans to expand beyond startups to serve enterprise audiences, invest in AI-assisted content formats, and deepen its integration with SPH Media. Its events portfolio, including its annual Singapore conference and ongoing Indonesia activities, will continue.

Regional Media Contraction Narrows Options for Communicators

Tech in Asia's restructuring is part of a wider pattern across the region. Singapore's Mediacorp retrenched 93 staff in 2024, while Vietnam shuttered 180 media outlets in January 2025, displacing approximately 8,000 journalists.

For brands and communications teams operating across Southeast Asia, the shutdown of Tech in Asia's Indonesian-language platform reduces the number of credible, independent editorial channels available for localized tech-sector outreach in one of the region's largest digital economies.

The editorial pivot toward enterprise audiences and deeper SPH integration also signals a shift away from the founder and startup community that originally defined Tech in Asia's identity and readership.

Both Wee and Li expressed confidence in Lee's leadership. "I know TIA is in great hands under Terence Lee," Li said. "I will always be the loudest cheerleader from the sidelines."