SINGTEL has reiterated that it aims to become a significant player in three key digital business segments.
It noted in its annual report released recently that digital marketing, premium OTT (over-the-top) video and advanced analytics were all identified as key growth areas.
The telco, which is Singapore's largest listed firm, also revealed in its annual report that chief executive Chua Sock Koong was paid $5.599 million, excluding shares, for the financial year ended March 31. This was up 18.9 per cent from $4.71 million in the 2014 fiscal year.
Singtel recorded a 3.5 per cent hike in net profit to $3.78 billion for the 12 months to March 31 compared with the same period a year earlier, while revenue rose 2.2 per cent to $17.22 billion.
The report detailed how it would ramp up efforts in the three key digital areas seen as having high growth potential.
It will redouble efforts to build digital marketing service Amobee, regional online video streaming service Hooq and an advanced analytics and intelligence capabilities service called DataSpark into "significant players".
The company's group enterprise business, which represents a third of revenues across Singapore and Australia, has identified cyber security and cloud services as priority areas.
Besides Ms Chua's pay package, the annual report also includes remuneration of other key senior executives.
Mr Allen Lew, chief executive of consumer Australia and Optus, received $4.97 million for the financial year ended March 31.
Mr Lew was previously chief executive of group digital life, a post he held until Sept 30 last year.
His remuneration in the previous financial year came to $3.31 million.
Chairman Simon Israel's fees were increased, from $220,000 in 2014 to an all-inclusive fee of $960,000, excluding car-related benefits.
The hike was approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting last July, although some investors took issue with both the fee increase and the introduction of shares to his fee package.
Singtel had cited the chairman's "significant leadership role" on the board as justification for the fee increase.
It also noted that the board had agreed with Mr Israel that he would commit a "significant proportion of his time" to his role as chairman.
The fee was paid two-thirds in cash and one-third in Singtel shares.
Singtel also released its first group sustainability report yesterday, after five years of publishing a sustainability report only for its Singapore operations. The latest report includes data from both Singtel and its Australian unit Optus.
