CEO Message: Pursuing Opportunities and Enduring Growth Amidst Volatility

Navigating through yet another year of volatility and uncertainty in 2022 required renewed resolve, fortitude and optimism, both corporately and individually. For STT, our focus was centred on several overarching themes: 

• Solidifying our group strategy

• Ensuring a return to revenue growth for our communications companies

• Continuing to leverage the growth in cloud demand for both the data centre and services perspectives

• Leading change to improve the environment for all stakeholders and deepening trust with them, both for STT and the Group

We also stepped up our sustainability efforts through proactive communication and spearheading green initiatives while our portfolio companies accelerated their climate action measures to address business and national concerns. I am encouraged by the recognition our portfolio companies continue to receive for their sustainability practices. 

2023 is expected to be another daunting year. While positioning ourselves for the macro volatility, I am energised by the market potential of the digital economy. With our proven investor-operator approach and experienced and committed teams, I’m confident that 2023 will be transformational for all three lines of our business.

Above is an excerpt of the CEO message. The full message is available here.

StarHub has become the world’s most sustainable telco on the 2023 Corporate Knights’ Global 100 at the World Economic Forum. They emerged 34th out of over 6,700 companies, a significant improvement from their 72th ranking last year. StarHub also became a four-time winner of the ‘Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards – Sustainable Business’ last year. The Award represents the most prestigious form of recognition for companies in Singapore on corporate sustainability. Further, the company also received an A- leadership score for Climate Change 2022 from CDP, an international environmental non-profit organisation. They were among 15,000 companies globally who were rated. An “A-” score is the second highest rating and indicates their outstanding efforts and information disclosure pertaining to climate change.

As part of STT GDC’s commitment to sustainability, they have commenced feasibility and performance trials for the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil as fuel in backup power generator sets, with an aim of reducing carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by over 60% compared to fossil diesel fuel. In addition, they have partnered Sydrogen Energy to build the next generation of carbon neutral data centres by studying and implementing sustainability technologies and solutions at their Singapore facilities and the wider Southeast Asia region. Over at STT GDC Thailand, the DC has signed an MOU with PTT Digital to explore using cold energy, an untapped resource released from the regasification of liquefied natural gas. Both companies will explore channelling cold energy to power and chill water to cool the data centre environment – a first for Thailand, which will set new standards for reducing carbon within the data centre industry. Meanwhile, STT GDC India has partnered with O2 Renewable Energy to procure renewable energy in India.

GDS’ outstanding achievements in environmental development have won them the ‘2022 Bloomberg Green ESG Pioneer Awards’. Jointly sponsored by Bloomberg Green and Deloitte, GDS stood out from nearly a hundred shortlisted companies and is the only data centre company that won the award in this category. GDS also received the ‘EY Sustainability Excellence Awards 2022 – Best Practice/Case’ for their strategic planning for carbon neutrality and sustainability efforts.

The strong capabilities of the three companies were evident during the year-end industry awards and recognition season. Cloud Comrade and CloudCover received ‘APJ Collaboration Partner of the Year’ and ‘APJ Design Partner of the Year’, respectively, at the 2022 Regional and Global AWS Partner Awards. The Awards recognise partners which showcase specialisation, innovation, and collaboration.

Under the AWS Competency programme which rewards partners who demonstrate expertise and proven customer success, 2nd Watch earned the Data and Analytics Competency, their fifth AWS Competency, while Cloud Comrade became the first locally-headquartered partner in Southeast Asia to achieve the Level 1 Managed Security Service Provider Competency.

Capping off Cloud Comrade’s multiple wins was their ‘Partner Innovation Award (SMB)’ at the Channel Asia Innovation Awards 2022, a testament to their expertise and excellence in customer innovation.

U Mobile has been recognised by Frost & Sullivan as the ‘2022 Malaysian Mobile Services Company of the Year’. The telco has received the title a total of five times, a strong testament to their stellar performance in ensuring quality connectivity experiences for their customers. The company was acknowledged for their efforts in meeting changing connectivity needs brought on by the pandemic, competitive pricing strategy and ensuring affordability and accessibility for all. U Mobile's initiatives to cater to the needs of different market segments also helped to bridge the digital divide in Malaysia, reaffirming their position as a leading mobile service provider in the country.

STT organised two employee volunteerism activities with our community partners last year-end. In November, STT conducted a cyber awareness talk for pre-teens of Life Community Services Society. While the trainer delved into cyber safety and cyberbullying, employee volunteers facilitated breakout sessions with the children to reinforce their learnings. In December, employee volunteers partnered Yong-en Care Centre to bring lower-income seniors who have few opportunities to go on outings for a memorable trip to Gardens by the Bay.

For the sixth year, TeleChoice participated in Community Chest’s Fu Dai 2023. 13 employee volunteers packed and distributed 800 Fu Dai (Prosperity Bags) comprising food and essentials to bring Lunar New Year cheer to vulnerable seniors.