YTL Corporation

YTL Corporation Berhad is a Malaysian multinational company mainly focused on building infrastructure. Founded by Yeoh Tiong Lay in 1955, it has grown into a major conglomerate with listings on the Bursa Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange), the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI, the MSCI Malaysia Index, and the Prime Market Foreign Stocks Segment of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In 1996, it made history as the first non-Japanese Asian company to be listed there.[1]

Subsidiaries

In June 2024, YTL's total financial capital was approximately RM100 billion. YTL Corp also has interest in Starhill Global REIT, a Singapore-listed entity that owns prime retail assets in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, China, and Australia.[1]

YTL operates through its subsidiaries in various sectors but predominantly in major infrastructure for power generation and water and sewerage services. Other activities include cement manufacturing, property development, hotel and resort management, telecommunications, digital banking, data centers and cloud computing, artificial intelligence and education. Utilities constitute the largest portion of the company's revenue at 71%, followed by cement manufacturing at 16%, construction and hotel operations each at 4%, with the remaining revenue distributed among other sectors.[2]

Operations

Malaysia

YTL's core operations are concentrated in Malaysia. YTL Power International is a major player in the country's power generation and water sectors, operating 1,212MW combined cycle power plant at Paka, Terengganu, and Pasir Gudang, Johor. YTL Communications provide telecommunication services under the YES brand. YTL Construction has undertaken large-scale infrastructure projects across the country, including power plants, airports, hospitals, railway lines, and commercial and residential buildings. YTL Land is responsible for property development, with a significant land bank and townships like Sentul in Kuala Lumpur. YTL Hospitality REIT manages and develops a portfolio of renowned hospitality properties like Pangkor Laut Resort and The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur. Express Rail Link operates the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit high-speed rail services connecting Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with Kuala Lumpur Sentral.[3]

YTL Data Center Holdings, a subsidiary of YTL Power operates data centers in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur and Kulai, Johor. The Green Data Center Park in Kulai is host to Nvidia's cloud computing supercomputers focusing on artificial intelligence application.[4]

In May 2024, YTL Power emerges as substantial shareholder of Ranhill Utilities, a utility company operating water treatment plant in Johor and power generation plant in Sabah.[5]

Singapore

YTL Power owns and operates YTL PowerSeraya in Singapore, a company with a total licensed generation capacity of 3,100 megawatts and involved in multi-utility operations.[6] Additionally, YTL Corp has a significant stake in Starhill Global REIT, a Singapore-based Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that invests in prime retail and office properties across Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and China.

In July 2024, YTL announced its intention to expand into the industrialized building systems sector through YTL Cement Bhd, which plans to acquire a significant stake in NSL Ltd, a company based in Singapore.[7]

United Kingdom

YTL's presence in the United Kingdom is through Wessex Water, a water and sewerage provider serving 2.9 million customers.[8] YTL Developments UK Limited is another venture undertaking the development of Brabazon, a mixed-use property project on the historic Filton Airfield site in Bristol.[9]

Other Countries

YTL Power has investments in power generation companies PT Jawa Power and PT Jawa Timur in Indonesia, and Attarat Power in Jordan.[10]

Recent developments

Data centre expansion (2026)

In April 2026, YTL Power International announced plans to accelerate the expansion of its Green Data Centre Park in Kulai, Johor, targeting a doubling of capacity to 1,000 megawatts within three years from the initially planned 500 megawatts. The company had secured commitments for up to 300 megawatts at the time of the announcement. YTL Power also indicated it was considering a separate listing of its data centre unit, as well as bond or sukuk issuances to fund the expansion.[11]

YTL Cement acquires controlling stake in Cepco (2026)

In April 2026, YTL Cement Bhd acquired a 53.49% controlling equity interest in Concrete Engineering Products Bhd (Cepco), a manufacturer of prestressed spun concrete piles and poles listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia, for RM103.8 million at RM2.60 per share. The acquisition triggered a mandatory general offer for all remaining Cepco shares under the Capital Markets and Services Act. The offer price represented a premium of 39% to Cepco's last closing price prior to the announcement and a premium of 96.2% to its one-year volume weighted average price. YTL Cement stated its intention to maintain Cepco's listing status on Bursa Malaysia.[12]

References

  1. YTL Corporation Berhad - About Us www.ytl.com, retrieved 2024-07-27^
  2. 2. AR2023 YTL Corp Group. https://www.ytlesolutions.com/iims2/ytlcommunity/upload/financialreports/YTL%20Corporation%20Berhad_Annual%20Report%202023.pdf.^
  3. Ameer Fakhri. ERL granted 30-year concession extension ERL granted 30-year concession extension, 2024-01-23, retrieved 2024-07-25^
  4. Rozanna Latiff. Nvidia to partner Malaysia's YTL Power in $4.3 bln AI development project Reuters, December 8, 2023, retrieved March 24, 2025^
  5. Hamdan's surprise exit from Ranhill paves the way for YTL Power in Johor water sector The Edge Malaysia, 2024-06-19, retrieved 2025-03-23^
  6. Jay Sheila Manohkaran. YTL Power stock surged 163%. Still up for the ride? The Malaysian Reserve, August 29, 2023, retrieved July 25, 2024^
  7. YTL Cement to take controlling stake in Singapore's NSL for RM792m www.nst.com.my, 24 July 2024, retrieved 2024-07-27^
  8. Enron sells UK water firm 2002-03-26, retrieved 2024-07-25^
  9. Estel Farell Roig. New neighbourhood on Bristol outskirts set for 1,500 student homes Bristol Live, 2024-01-11, retrieved 2024-07-25^
  10. K. Harinderan. Profit Decline Signals Need For YTL Power International To Take A Breather - BusinessToday www.businesstoday.com.my/, 2024-05-27, retrieved 2024-07-25^
  11. Choy Nyen Yiau. YTL, YTL Power surge as data centre push lifts growth outlook The Edge Malaysia, 3 April 2026^
  12. Ganeshwaran Kana. YTL Cement takes control of Cepco with RM103.8mil stake The Star, 3 April 2026^