Bharti Airtel announces top leadership changes; Gopal Vittal to become Executive Vice Chairman

Gopal Vittal, who has led Bharti Airtel for the past 13 years, was appointed Vice Chairman of the company in October 2024 while continuing as MD and CEO.

As Executive Vice Chairman, he will oversee Bharti Airtel and all its subsidiaries and will be responsible for driving group-level synergies across digital and technology initiatives, network strategy, procurement, and talent management.

In addition to oversight of operations, Vittal will focus on group strategy and future-proofing the organisation for its next phase of growth, the company said.

Following the structured transition plan, Shashwat Sharma will succeed Vittal as Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel India, effective January 1, 2026.

Shashwat Sharma. Photo: PR.

Sharma was appointed CEO-designate last year and has spent the past 12 months working closely with Vittal across businesses to prepare for the role. He will report to Vittal.

As part of the leadership reshuffle, Soumen Ray, currently Chief Financial Officer of Bharti Airtel India, will be elevated to the role of Group Chief Financial Officer, reporting to Vittal. Ray has served in his current role for nearly four years and has played a key role in steering the company’s financial performance.

Akhil Garg, presently Financial Controller at Bharti Airtel, will take over as Chief Financial Officer of Bharti Airtel India.

Garg, who has been with Airtel for almost 12 years, has led several key initiatives, including the Hexacom IPO. In his new role, he will report to Shashwat Sharma and Soumen Ray.

Additionally, Rohit Puri, currently Joint Company Secretary and Compliance Officer, will be appointed Company Secretary and Compliance Officer for Bharti Airtel. Pankaj Tewari will continue as Group Company Secretary, providing leadership and oversight at the group level.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel said, "I am extremely pleased with the succession and transition of leadership at Airtel and there could not have been a better time, where change and continuity will go hand in hand. I have no doubt both Gopal and Shashwat will continue to build on the momentum and I wish them much success in their roles."

"As an organization we pride ourselves with our highly energised and professional management team, which combined with our entrepreneurial flair, brings to hundreds of millions of customers, the best technology and services across the geographies we operate."