New General Manager part of continued focus on enhancing local leadership and decision-making

TikTok, the world’s leading destination for short-form mobile video, today announced the appointment of Richard Waterworth to the position of General Manager for the UK. Waterworth, who joined the company in September as to Lead EMEA Marketing, will now oversee TikTok's UK operations. 

Alex Zhu, President of TikTok, comments: "Since TikTok launched in the market in 2018, we are encouraged to see how it has become the platform of choice for creators and brands looking for a new way to express themselves. The UK is one of our most important markets and we have been growing and investing in our local business and team here since day one. Richard has already made a huge impact on our company in a very short space of time and combined with his deep industry expertise, I am confident that he is the right person to lead the UK business into its next phase of growth." 

Commenting on his appointment, Waterworth said: "The UK is a leading hub for creativity and TikTok's exponential growth in the market reflects the strong appetite among users and creators for a differentiated platform that offers a fun and genuinely positive space for creativity. In my first few months at the company, I've been blown away by the diversity, innovation and scale of our business here and that has reinforced to me that there is nothing else quite like TikTok. I'm truly excited by the opportunity to lead such a dynamic local business and a growing team of talent as we look to further enhance the TikTok experience for our user community."

Waterworth brings over 20 years' experience from across the wider media and content services space. Prior to TikTok, he spent nearly a decade leading YouTube's regional marketing across EMEA. In addition to driving the launch and rollout of new services such as YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Subscription and YouTube Kids, Waterworth also led major brand-building activities including significant education and engagement programmes across key user, industry and regulatory audiences. Earlier in his career, Waterworth held senior marketing roles at the broadcaster ITV and the Extreme Sports Channel. 

As Waterworth's appointment is with immediate effect, he will continue to serve as the Lead of EMEA Marketing until a successor is appointed.

TikTok has cultivated a diverse community of users across the UK by offering a truly unique home for creative expression since its inception. While TikTok is a global platform, the recent appointment of General Managers in the US, India and now the UK further reinforces the company's commitment to delivering a strong local product experience that supports the business' local market objectives in 2020. 

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About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire and enrich people’s lives by offering a home for creative expression and an experience that is genuine, joyful and positive. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. www.tiktok.com