By FRONTIER
Frontier has appointed a new chief executive officer to take over from founder Sonny Swe, who announced late last year he was stepping down after a decade at the helm.
Aung Htin Aung, a Myanmar-born American citizen, brings a wealth of business experience to the role, including most recently implementing a US-funded programme on responsible investment and trade.
Aung Htin Aung said he was excited to take Frontier forward and paid tribute to Sonny Swe’s contribution to the Myanmar media landscape.
“I was drawn to this position because Frontier stands as one of Myanmar’s most important voices for independent, in-depth journalism. Its dedication to press freedom, human rights and meaningful reporting makes a real difference on political, social and environmental issues. Frontier is a critical platform for Myanmar, and I see this role as an opportunity to help amplify positive impact,” Aung Htin Aung said.
“As CEO, I look forward to helping strengthen the organisation further and make sure the editorial team has the independence and resources they need to keep doing their outstanding work,” he said.
The handover to a new CEO marks another significant change for Frontier in 2025, after Frontier appointed award-winning journalist Thu Thu Aung as editor-in-chief in July.
Sonny Swe, who started Frontier in 2015, announced in December that he was bringing forward his plans to transition out of the organisation. He resigned as a director of its parent company in April 2025. He will remain involved with Frontier until the end of October to ensure a smooth handover.
Frontier’s management team appointed Aung Htin Aung from a strong and diverse field of candidates following a lengthy selection process that included several rounds of interviews.
Aung Htin Aung previously worked with Frontier as circulation manager when the magazine launched more than a decade ago, and is Sonny Swe’s former brother-in-law.
Frontier director and editor-at-large Thomas Kean, who was part of the selection process, said he was confident Aung Htin Aung was the right candidate for Frontier at a time when it is working to manage costs, expand its membership programme and reduce reliance on grants.
“I’m really pleased to have someone of Aung Htin Aung’s calibre leading Frontier during this important time,” he said. “But it’s also a sad day for Frontier – and for me personally – in the sense that Sonny will soon be leaving Frontier, the organisation he founded and put so much into.
“Frontier was his vision and it wouldn’t have survived without his leadership and commitment to editorial freedom. I couldn’t have asked for any more from him and I think we’re determined to safeguard his legacy by taking Frontier forward.”
Frontier’s ownership structure
Frontier was established in 2015 as part of Black Knight Media Co. Ltd., a company registered in Myanmar. Sonny Swe’s stake in Black Knight Media is held through another Myanmar-registered entity, M Media International Co. Ltd, while co-founder Sylvia Saw McKaige’s stake is held via a Singapore-based company, Salween International Pte Ltd.
After the 2021 military coup, Frontier began operating under a Singapore-based company, Boomerang Media Pte. Ltd. Black Knight Media remains a registered company but is no longer carrying out any business activities.
In April 2025 Sonny Swe resigned as a director of Boomerang Media Pte. Ltd. and also transferred his shareholding to Frontier’s editorial adviser, Pichai Chuensuksawadi.
Sonny Swe remains a director and shareholder of Boomerang Network (Thailand) Co. Ltd., a Thailand-registered company that operates the Greenhouse co-working space in Chiang Mai.
The directors and shareholding of each of the relevant companies are as follows:
Boomerang Media Pte. Ltd.
Directors: Pichai Chuensuksawadi, Thomas Kean
Shareholding: Pichai Chuensuksawadi (93%), Thomas Kean (7%)
Boomerang Network (Thailand) Co. Ltd.
Directors: Myat (Sonny) Swe, Pichai Chuensuksawadi, Thomas Kean
Shareholding: Pichai Chuensuksawadi (51%), Myat (Sonny) Swe (42%), Thomas Kean (7%)
Black Knight Media Co. Ltd.
Directors: Myat (Sonny) Swe
Shareholding: M Media International Co. Ltd. (82.9%), Salween International Pte Ltd (17.1%)
M Media International Co. Ltd.
Directors: Myat (Sonny) Swe
Shareholding: Myat (Sonny) Swe (100%)
