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The Malaysian telco has established an ESTS, transferring 4.15% of its issued share capital into a trust for employees as it prepares for an IPO.
Tune Talk has announced the establishment of an Employee Share Trust Scheme (ESTS), a move that will position employees as co-owners of the company ahead of its planned Initial Public Offering (IPO).
The announcement was made in Kuala Lumpur on 11 February 2026. According to the company, the ESTS is designed to recognise employee contributions and strengthen long-term financial security for its workforce as it accelerates towards IPO.
The company said the establishment of the ESTS reflects its commitment to ensuring staff benefit directly from the value they help create. The scheme allows employees to share in the company’s momentum and gives them a tangible stake in its next phase of growth.
Tune Talk added the initiative reflects its 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 broader efforts in Malaysia to address immediate financial wellbeing while encouraging sustainable wealth accumulation among the workforce.
Founder transfers 4.15% stake into trust
As part of the ESTS, Gurtaj Singh Padda, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer has voluntarily transferred 4.15% of the total issued share capital of Tune Talk Sdn Bhd into a dedicated trust fund for the benefit of employees. The transfer was executed pursuant to a formal trust deed.
The shares placed into the trust will be held and managed by appointed trustees. The company said this structure is intended to reinforce long-term stewardship and responsible value sharing.
Commenting on the move, Gurtaj said employees today want to feel the impact of their hard work in the present, not only in the future. He added that employee welfare should extend beyond monthly pay or statutory contributions, and that the Trust is intended to provide a meaningful stake in the long-term value of the company.
He further noted that: “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.”
Objectives of the ESTS
The ESTS has been established as a flexible structure to enable employees to participate meaningfully in the value they help generate. This includes the potential distribution of dividends or performance-based rewards ahead of the IPO, as well as financial support for employee welfare where necessary.
Upon IPO, the trust is expected to act as a vehicle to distribute shares and to subsidise beneficiaries in acquiring shares pursuant to the ESOS framework.
Tune Talk said it is the first telco in Malaysia to introduce an ESTS of this nature. By offering immediate, tangible financial benefits alongside a clear pathway to equity ownership, the company is setting a new precedent for employee value participation in the sector.
As Tune Talk prepares for its public listing, the introduction of the ESTS signals a shift in how employee ownership can be structured in Malaysia’s telecommunications industry, placing co-ownership and long-term financial participation at the centre of its growth strategy.
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