INTEGRATED
Annual REPORT
2021
ADVANCING ASIA SUSTAINABLY
We are progressing towards becoming The Next Generation Digital Champion by encouraging digital inclusion across our footprint spanning ASEAN and South Asia. In 2022, we are accelerating on climate action by launching our Net-Zero Carbon Roadmap.
Advancing together
Into the digital future
Powered by an innovation-first culture that embraces diversity, we are on track to become The Next Generation Digital Champion by 2024. This is our inclusive vision to empower a greener and digitally-led future that benefits all.
OUR VISION
The Next Generation Digital Champion by 2024
OUR PURPOSE
Advancing Asia
OUR VALUES
Uncompromising Integrity, Exceptional Performance
WHAT DEFINES OUR SUCCESS
THE PROGRESS
WE HAVE MADE
163.1 million mobile customers across ASEAN and South Asia
Enterprise services for ~185,000 businesses
9.7 million Boost Life eWallet users
More than 44,000 owned and managed towers across 8 countries
We are the first Malaysian telco to sign the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
Signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles
Supporting 45 technopreneurs through Digital Innovation Funds
RM115 million pledged to Axiata Foundation over the next 10 years
Championing connectivity
& digital inclusion
across our footprint
We have built a sustainable presence across 11 countries in Asia, where our Digital Telcos, Digital Businesses and Infrastructure contribute to the advancement of individuals, communities and nations.
Our Businesses
BUSINESSES
OUR REGIONAL PRESENCE
A Diverse Talent Factory of over 13,000 employees
Over 700,000 jobs supported throughout the region
USD11.1 billion contributed to the national GDP of 11 countries
Advancing Asia Digitally
Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan was appointed Chairman of the Axiata Board on 1 January 2022 to spearhead our efforts in delivering balanced and responsible growth, creating shared value across our regional footprint.
SUPPORTING AMBITIOUS
TECHNOPRENEURS
We are funding a
total of 45 digital start-ups and
ventures as at end 2021, empowering local digital ecosystems
across Asia
INVESTING IN LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
Through Axiata Foundation, RM115 million will
be channelled to empower advancement through education over
the next 10 years
DELIVERING
INCREASED
DIVIDENDS
In line with our goal to become a High Dividend
Company, a dividend of 9.5 sen per share was declared in
2021, up from 7 sen per share in 2020
ADVANCING TO
ZERO
In 2021, we
developed
the Net-Zero Carbon Roadmap, our blueprint to become a
net-zero company by 2050
LEADING IN ESG
ADOPTION
Our MSCI ESG
Rating was
upgraded from ‘A’ to ‘AA’ and our ESG Rating from three-star
to four-star in 2021
ENHANCING DIGITAL
TRUST
AND
RESILIENCE
In 2021, our cyber security strategy saw us
leverage advanced technologies for enhanced threat detection
and response
ENSURING STRINGENT
DATA
PRIVACY
Guided by the
application of our T.R.U.S.T principles, our average Privacy
Maturity Level surged by 91% in 2021
CLIMATE ACTION
The telco industry has a unique role to play in addressing climate action by not just reducing emissions within its own operations, but also providing digital solutions that will enable our customers to achieve their emissions goals. With regards to the latter, Axiata’s contributions are shaped by its investments in digital solutions and improved network capabilities.
TAN SRI SHAHRIL RIDZA RIDZUAN
Chairman, Axiata
ON COMMITTING TO CLIMATE ACTION
THE PRESIDENT & GROUP CEO
EXECUTING
FOR NEXT
Against a constantly evolving backdrop of regulatory, technological, environmental and competitive factors, our President & Group Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Izzaddin Idris is spearheading sustainable strategies to secure future growth while driving cost excellence measures throughout the Group.
FUTURE-PROOFING AXIATA
In positioning the Group to deliver long-term value for stakeholders in the new normal, we have aggressively pursued organic and inorganic growth opportunities in the digital and technological convergence and connectivity, digital financial services, AI, data analytics and infrastructure spaces.
THE PROPOSED CELCOM-DIGI
MERGER
The proposed merger will unlock
synergies and cost-efficiencies by combining the scale, experience,
competencies and financial strength of Telenor and Axiata
FURTHERING 5G READINESS
Our OpCos continue to lead in their respective
markets - launching 5G trials, developing use cases, forging
partnerships and developing 5G infrastructure
DRIVING ENTERPRISE
DIGITALISATION
Fuelled by partnerships with technology giants
and strategic acquisitions, we are delivering enterprise offerings that
go beyond connectivity, providing businesses with a complete solution to
empower their growth in the new digital era
BUILDING A REGIONAL DIGITAL
FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION
Boost has consolidated five lines of digital
businesses and has applied for a digital banking license with RHB
Banking Group
EMPOWERING EDOTCO’S
EXPANSION
In 2021, edotco became the seventh largest
towerco in the world based on the number of owned and managed towers, a
step closer to its ambition of becoming a Top Five Global TowerCo by
2024
We believe that our robust business fundamentals and strong performance track record, combined with our empathetic approach to become The Next Generation Digital Champion bringing meaningful value to our customers, communities and the planet sets us up well to keep delivering on our value creation promise moving forward.
Dato’ Izzaddin Idris
President & Group CEO, Axiata
on our future outlook
The Axiata 5.0 Vision is about being ready and ahead of what’s next at all times. By sharpening the focus of our OpCos towards serving new normal shifts and demands, it is guiding us towards developing inclusive regional connectivity and a digital ecosystem that empowers communities while propelling our business forward.
BUSINESSES
Top 5 Global
TowerCo
HOW WE
CREATE VALUE
With the aim of powering the long-term progress of communities across Asia, we adopt a holistic view of value anchored by our six capitals and the outcomes they seek to enable.
Capital Input
Outcomes Which Benefit All
Maximising shareholder value
Sustaining long-term business growth and profitability
Attracting and retaining talented employees
Providing our talented workforce with career advancement opportunities
Providing excellent customer experience
Establishing strong brand equity and trust
Developing digital platforms to cater to customers
Contributing to socioeconomic development in our countries
Advancing national digital ambitions and aspirations
Increasing population coverage and connecting underserved areas
Aiding digital and financial inclusion
Adopting a focused carbon reduction strategy towards achieving net-zero by 2050
Optimising energy consumption
OUR FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
In positioning the Group to deliver long-term value for stakeholders in the new normal, we have aggressively pursued organic and inorganic growth opportunities in the fixed and converged, infrastructure, enterprise and digital spaces.
up 7.0%
up 7.0%
up > 100%
up 53.2%
up 1.6pp
AND COST EXCELLENCE
Operational Excellence initiatives including our cost excellence programme, Collective Brain model, and leveraging on digitisation and analytics yielded results in 2021. Driven by our cost savings initiatives, we surpassed internal targets to achieve total cost savings of RM2.0 billion, of which RM696 million was opex in nature, and RM1.3 billion from better capex management.
Dato’ Izzaddin Idris
President & Group CEO, Axiata
ON DRIVING OPERATIONAL AND COST EXCELLENCE
OUR COMMITMENT
TO ACCOUNTABILITY
We continually strive to enhance and strengthen our governance system to ensure that the highest levels of corporate governance is practised Group-wide.
