StarHub CEO is departing at pivotal time for telco

Singapore

THE sudden departure of a chief executive officer (CEO) without a successor in place can be worrisome. Outgoing executives often cite "pursuit of own interests" as a neutral reason to explain their departure, but this belies the real concerns over the future of the company and the industry.

Everyone knows it has been tough for telcos lately, with nascent technologies and new entrants threatening their traditional cash cows, but few expected StarHub to announce on Friday that its CEO, Tan Tong Hai, would be leaving the telco in May next year, after nearly five years at its helm.