Gurtaj Singh’s Tune Talk is first telco in Malaysia to make staff co-owners with 4.15% stake 

• Move strengthens long-term financial security for talentpool as company accelerates path toward IPO
• Fexible structure enables staff to participate in value they generate, including distribution of performance-based rewards ​

Tune Talk likes to claim they have introduced many firsts in the Malaysian telco market. Some are true, some debatable. But today it announced something no telco has ever done.

Gurtaj Singh Padda, co-founder and CEO has transferred 4.15% of the total issued share capital of Tune Talk Sdn Bhd into a dedicated Trust Fund for the benefit of employees (Beneficiaries), executed pursuant to a formal Trust Deed.

“We know that employees today want to feel the impact of their hard work now, not years down the line. This Trust is our way of giving our people something real and tangible in return for the commitment they show every single day,” said Gurtaj.

“At Tune Talk, we don’t believe employee welfare ends with monthly pay or statutory contributions. This Trust is our way of giving our people a meaningful stake in the long-term value of the company they are building,” he added.

The establishment of an Employee Share Trust Scheme (ESTS) is not only to recognize employee contributions and position staff as equity participants, but also to strengthen long-term financial security for its talentpool as the company accelerates its path toward an Initial Public Offering (IPO), said Tune Talk.

The scheme reflects Tune Talk’s belief that modern, high-growth companies have a responsibility to look beyond short-term incentives and play a role in improving the economic resilience of their people. It also aligns with the Malaysian government’s broader efforts to address immediate financial wellbeing and encourage sustainable wealth accumulation among the workforce.

The first founder-led commitment to employee ownership

“As we move towards an IPO, we are deliberately putting structures in place that allow our employees to grow financially alongside the business, rather than being left behind once value is created,” said Gurtaj.

The shares placed into the Trust will be held and managed by appointed Trustees, reinforcing Tune Talk’s commitment to long-term stewardship and responsible value sharing.

Objectives of the ESTS

The ESTS has been established to create a flexible structure that enables employees to participate meaningfully in the value they help generate, including the distribution of dividends or performance-based rewards ahead of the IPO, and to provide financial support to employee’s welfare where necessary. Upon IPO, the Trust will act as a vehicle to distribute the shares and subsidize Beneficiaries in acquiring shares pursuant to the ESOS framework.

As the first telco in Malaysia to introduce an ESTS of this nature, Tune Talk is establishing a new standard for employee value participation by offering immediate, tangible financial benefits alongside a clear pathway to equity ownership.