Under Chua Sock Koong’s stewardship, Singtel evolved from a regional player into a global telecommunications powerhouse, extending its reach across diverse markets and emerging as a leader in innovation and digital transformation.
Transcending from its print origins of Passions Vol. 56, this article now resides within the digital tapestry of VOICE OF ASIA.
It is not easy running a business, and it is more difficult when the business is in one of the most open markets in the world with a small population. For former SingTel CEO, Chua Sock Koong, the solution was to go beyond borders. She spearheaded the operator’s overseas expansion in growing markets such as Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh and Australia, resulting in an expansion of the customer base to more than 400 million – 100 times Singapore’s population – while revenue has risen from US$10 billion in 2007 to US$15 billion in 2013. Chua also led the company to go beyond traditional services and embrace new revenue streams, such as internet television and ultra-high-speed broadband, to stave off the challenge of VOIP to traditional fixed and mobile voice lines. Through this innovative approach, SingTel – led by Chua Sock Koong – has redefined the role of telco operators, making them more relevant and ready to meet the challenges of the ICT Age.
