FEBRUARYASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK9Singtel and KKR have reached an agreement to purchase 100% of STT GDC in a deal that is estimated to be close to $5.2 billion and is one of the biggest data centre deals in Asia-Pacific.ST Telemedia, a founding shareholder in KKR, will retain only 18 percent of the company through its unit STT Communications, an indirect company of Temasek Holdings, under the deal.At completion, KKR and Singtel shall own 75 percent and 25 percent of the shares respectively after conversion of the existing preference shares.The cash consideration will be paid in two equal tranches and half will be paid upon closing and the remainder will be paid in approximately a year.The consortium has been able to obtain debt facilities of about S$5 billion to finance the acquisition and future capital expenditure, with Singtel contributing S 740 million as equity financing to be sourced internally.Analysts claimed that the transaction makes sense in the context of the larger digital infrastructure focus by Singtel and positions it to be among the biggest in Asia as an operator of data centres, allowing it to chase hyperscaler and AI-driven workloads at scale.KKR and Singtel initially invested in STT GDC in June 2024 and it will close in the second half of 2026 subject to regulatory approvals. NEWSROOMSINGTEL AND KKR BUY OUT STT GDC IN $5.2B DEAL· Post-transaction, KKR will hold 75% and Singtel 25% of the company· Deal strengthens Singtel's digital infrastructure and data centre strategyKOLTIVA LAUNCHES AI TRACEABILITY PILOT FOR ESG COMPLIANCEKoltiva, a Swiss-Indonesian agritech company operating in 94 countries, has launched an AI-powered traceability pilot with SUGATA PTE. LTD, a coffee and cocoa supplier in Aceh, Indonesia.The initiative is part of the AI Singapore AIAP for Industry program and focuses on automating ESG reporting and compliance processes while improving data accuracy and integrity across agricultural supply chains.The system uses AI, predictive analytics, and real-time field insights to validate records, detect anomalies, and strengthen responsible sourcing amid stricter regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation and the US Food Safety Modernization Act.SUGATA will support the effort through full-farm mapping and sustainable practice training for producers.The pilot builds on Koltiva's platform, which already supports over 1.19 million producers and 8,500 businesses worldwide. Beyond traceability, the ecosystem includes KoltiPay (fintech loans and insurance) and KoltiTrade (market access).A field network of agronomists collects on-site data, enabling AI-driven ESG compliance automation.Rising global compliance requirements are increasing demand for RegTech and AI-verified tools. The EU's deforestation rule alone impacts over 50,000 EU businesses. Koltiva's software-as-a-service (SaaS) model converts compliance needs into recurring revenue, with major clients like Mars and Cargill outsourcing traceability operations.Similar regulatory pressure across sectors could further accelerate growth for firms delivering auditable, AI-powered compliance infrastructure. · Koltiva pilots AI traceability for automated ESG compliance· Supports 1.19M farmers and faces rising EU & US regulations· Expands into RegTech + SaaS for global agribusiness clients
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