One number in Singtel’s most recent annual report caught our attention: Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon made $8.2 million in FY2025, a 16.8% increase over the previous year. The telecom behemoth posted earnings of $4.02 billion, a 405% gain from the previous year, amid a period of remarkably good performance. The public discourse surrounding corporate rewards, responsibility, and leadership value in Asia has changed as a result of this remarkable jump.
Yuen’s pay structure demonstrates leadership that is motivated by performance. His $1.3 million basic pay only makes up a small portion of his total compensation, highlighting the fact that contemporary CEO compensation now depends more on results than titles. His $2.2 million cash bonus made up 27% of his total compensation, with the majority coming from long-term incentives including restricted and performance share awards. These incentives, which have respective values of $2.2 million and $2.4 million, are scheduled to vest over time, guaranteeing his ongoing and quantifiable dedication to Singtel’s expansion.
Bio and Professional Information
| Name | Yuen Kuan Moon |
|---|---|
| Position | Group Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) |
| Appointed | January 1, 2021 |
| Base Salary (FY2025) | $1.3 million |
| Total Remuneration (FY2025) | $8.2 million (up 16.8% from $7.0 million in FY2024) |
| Cash Bonus | $2.2 million |
| Restricted Share Awards | $2.2 million, vesting evenly over three years |
| Performance Share Awards | $2.4 million |
| Benefits | $77,808 (car, medical, club membership, and flexible benefits) |
| Company Earnings (FY2025) | $4.02 billion, up 405.3% from $795 million in FY2024 |
Singtel has seen a remarkable shift in recent years, and Yuen has been recognized as the driving force behind this development. He has implemented a strategic reset since becoming CEO in 2021, redefining the company’s identity in three key areas: digital infrastructure, digital services, and connectivity. With a focus on data centers, 5G development, and regional collaborations that fortify Singtel’s digital ecosystem, the strategy has been especially creative.
Instead than making grandiose promises, Yuen’s term has been characterized by a steady vision. Under his direction, Singtel established Nxera, a regional data center company aimed at meeting the rapidly expanding demand for cloud services and digital storage in Asia. Additionally, he managed the company’s consumer and enterprise divisions in Singapore and Australia, streamlining processes and enhancing cross-market synergy. The company has been able to function with clarity, which has significantly increased organizational agility and decision-making speed, thanks to this highly effective restructure.
But there is more to the year’s headline earnings than meets the eye. A one-time exceptional gain of $1.3 billion from the partial divestiture of Singtel’s Comcentre headquarters drove a large portion of the company’s earnings, which surged to $4.02 billion. Revenue increased from $14.13 billion to $14.15 billion, a slight 0.1% increase. However, the stability of core activities in the face of wider market volatility indicates a strategically evolved company rather than one that is only riding the wave of short-term gains.
The way Yuen’s salary reflects worldwide trends in executive compensation is what makes it so intriguing. The purpose of performance-linked packages is to encourage leadership to produce long-term value as opposed to short-term outcomes. Businesses encourage executives to think like shareholders by linking a sizable amount of compensation to stock performance, which strikes a balance between growth, sustainability, and transformation. Leading companies in Asia and beyond, like Samsung, Reliance Industries, Telstra, and SoftBank, have embraced this strategy.
In contrast to his peers in the region, Yuen’s compensation package is notable for being hefty without being overly so. While other telecom executives in Asia fetch compensation above $10 million per year, Telstra CEO Vicki Brady took home about A$4.5 million in FY2024. Accordingly, Yuen’s profits seem reasonable, especially considering Singtel’s wide-ranging holdings and position as one of the most significant companies in Southeast Asia.
The general public’s opinion on CEO compensation is still mixed. For some, the jump is a justifiable reward for shattering records and achieving strategic success. Others wonder how multimillion-dollar remuneration would appear in the face of economic uncertainty and growing worries about the expense of living. These discussions are not new; they are a reflection of discussions about executive compensation around the world, where businesses must balance rewarding success with showing compassion for their communities.
Yuen’s leadership at Singtel has been characterized as being remarkably measured and transparent. His ability to strike a balance between operational discipline and long-term vision is frequently praised by colleagues. His collected, data-driven strategy has proven especially helpful when the market is disrupted. He has assisted Singtel in maintaining its resilience in the face of rapidly evolving technology and shifting customer preferences by emphasizing digital expansion and sustainable growth.
The success of the business has also been shared by the larger staff. In FY2025, Singtel’s key management received $29.4 million in total compensation, excluding directors and the CEO. Key players in carrying out the company’s transformation plan included CFO Arthur Lang, Chief People and Sustainability Officer Aileen Tan, and Chief Technology Officer Jorge Fernandes. The fact that no leadership is subject to termination or post-employment perks highlights Singtel’s performance-based culture, which prioritizes responsibility over entitlement.
The true test for Yuen in the future will be how sustainably Singtel’s revenues can expand, not how high they can rise. The telecom industry is changing quickly, and its next phase will be shaped by digital service diversification, 5G infrastructure, and AI integration. How successfully Singtel continues to use its network and data assets, especially through Nxera and its digital services division, NCS, will determine how competitive it can remain.
Yuen’s wage increase is a sign of changing expectations and a benchmark for Singapore’s corporate environment. Now, transformation—the ability to change course, innovate, and lead responsibly—is just as important as profits. That balance is embodied in his leadership: strategic yet compassionate, ambitious yet grounded.
More than just a financial tidbit, Singtel’s CEO pay rise represents a redefining of the value of leadership. Singtel reaffirms a crucial point by praising long-term vision and execution: constancy and transformation can coexist. Yuen’s journey from head of the consumer sector to head of the entire group demonstrates that flexibility and vision are still the most valuable assets in contemporary business.
