Catcha increases stake in Headline Media to 80 percent

Malaysia-based Catcha Digital Berhad announced Monday that its wholly-owned subsidiary iMedia Asia Sdn Bhd (iMedia) has completed the exercise of a call option to acquire an additional 50 percent equity interest in Headline Media Sdn Bhd. Catcha said in a statement that following the completion of this transaction, iMedia’s equity interest in Headline Media has increased from 30 percent to 80 percent. The total purchase consideration for the acquisition of the additional 50 percent stake amounts to MYR 4 million ($980,000), to be funded via internally generated funds. The acquisition was undertaken pursuant to the execution of a supplemental agreement dated December 22, 2025, which supplements the original share sale agreement dated October 9, 2023. Under the varied terms of the call option, 20 percent of the consideration is to be paid upfront upon completion, with the remaining 80 percent payable within 12 months post-completion. The decision to exercise the call option reflects Catcha Digital’s strong conviction in Headline Media’s operational performance and growth trajectory. Since Catcha Digital’s initial acquisition of a 30 percent stake in December 2023, Headline Media’s annual net profit after tax has grown by more than six-fold in one year, from MYR 139,000 (34,085) in the financial year ended December 2023 to MYR 897,000 ($219,960) in the financial year ended December 2024. The group expects the profitability of the business to continue to scale meaningfully over the coming years, underpinned by continued audience growth, monetization initiatives and deeper operational integration within iMedia’s digital media ecosystem. Headline Media, co-founded by Rydah Tan, Chan Jin Wen, Dylan Tan, Esther Lee and Sarah Yeoh, owns and operates a portfolio of leading digital media brands in Malaysia, anchored by WeirdKaya, one of Malaysia’s English social news platforms. Collectively, Headline Media’s brands, which also include LokLokWords and EzLokal Food, achieve a combined monthly reach of approximately 17 million users across social media platforms and websites, with a total follower base of approximately 1.2 million across its social media accounts. “The decision to exercise the call option and increase our stake in Headline Media to 80 percent underscores our strong confidence in the quality of the business and the execution capabilities of the team, “In just one year since our initial investment, Headline Media has delivered exceptional profit growth. This transaction reflects our conviction-led capital allocation approach as we continue to build a permanent home for market-leading technology and media companies in Malaysia through disciplined, high-quality acquisitions,” said Patrick Grove, Chairman of Catcha Digital. Rydah Tan, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Headline Media, said their partnership with Catcha Digital has significantly accelerated Headline Media’s growth over a short period of time. “We are proud of the progress we have made, particularly in scaling profitability and strengthening our brands, “Increasing iMedia’s stake is a strong vote of confidence in our team and our long-term vision, and we are excited to continue building the business together as part of a larger digital media platform,” he added. Excluding the exercise of the call option of Headline Media, Catcha Digital has announced seven strategic acquisitions in the last twelve months, each positioned to strengthen its foothold in the digital economy and contribute positively to future earnings. The aggregate expected profit to be achieved by each target company is approximately MYR 19.4 million ($4.76 million), based on their respective 12-month post-completion periods or financial year ended December 31, 2025 where applicable. Catcha Digital acquires TechNave for $1.47M to strengthen position in consumer tech digital media