According to the bourse filing, Low will assume the title of CEO-designate with effect from November 10, 2026. He is scheduled to formally take over the CEO role on April 1, 2027. On that same date, Low will also join the board of directors of NetLink’s trustee-manager as an executive director. Tong Yew Heng, who has led NetLink since January 2016 and served as executive director and CEO of the trustee-manager since February 2017, will step down following this transition.
Low brings extensive experience in telecommunications and strategic management from his previous roles at two major regional corporations. At ST Engineering, he held senior leadership positions including Group Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer and President of Satellite Communications. He also served as a member of the group’s Senior Business Council. Prior to his tenure at ST Engineering, Low held roles at Singtel, including Head of Group Strategy and Partnerships and Head of Strategic Investments. His earlier career included a position as Vice President at Indonesia’s Telekomunikasi Selular.
NetLink NBN Trust operates the national fibre-to-the-home network in Singapore, providing the underlying infrastructure for retail broadband services. The company is listed on the Singapore Exchange, trading under the ticker CJLU. In its most recent financial update, NetLink reported a distribution per unit of S$0.0274 for the first half ended September 30, representing a 1.1 percent increase year-on-year. As of the announcement date, NetLink units closed flat at S$0.94.
The appointment of Low as CEO-designate more than a year before his formal inauguration aligns with standard corporate succession planning, allowing for an extended period of knowledge transfer. While the filing does not specify strategic shifts, the selection of an executive with deep ties to both engineering infrastructure (ST Engineering) and telecommunications strategy (Singtel) suggests a focus on maintaining the technical integrity of the network while navigating broader industry partnerships. The transition will see Low integrate into the board structure as an executive director, reinforcing his direct oversight of the trustee-manager’s operations.
Tong Yew Heng’s tenure has spanned over a decade, during which NetLink consolidated its position as the dominant fibre provider in Singapore. The upcoming change in leadership comes as the company continues to manage distribution yields and capital expenditure for network maintenance and upgrades. Investors and market participants will likely monitor the transition period for any announcements regarding future network expansion, pricing strategies, or partnerships with retail telecommunications operators that rely on the trust’s infrastructure.
The formal handover in April 2027 will mark the end of Tong’s era at the helm of the state-linked infrastructure trust. Low’s background in satellite communications and strategic investments may influence how NetLink approaches emerging technologies or diversification opportunities in the coming years, although no specific strategic directives were included in the initial announcement.
