NTUC Income's corporatisation: striking a balance between profits and purpose

NTUC Income's proposed corporatisation, announced last week, is a startling development for a co-operative which hews closely to its social purpose of catering to the underserved in Singapore.

The big question is whether corporatisation would dilute its social mission. For the co-op's members, whose co-op shares will be converted into equivalent shares in the new entity, Income Insurance Ltd, a corporate structure offers the potential of more generous dividends and a higher share value.

But is it a win-win proposition for current and new policyholders?