Abhijit Kishore to helm Vodafone Idea as CEO amid high-stakes debt and AGR uncertainty

His appointment comes as Akshaya Moondra’s tenure draws to a close on August 18 after completing a full three-year term in the top job, according to a Moneycontrol report.

Kishore’s elevation coincides with a do-or-die phase for the debt-laden telecom operator, which continues to face headwinds in securing fresh debt funding.

The uncertainty over its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues remains a pressing hurdle.

Vi is currently engaged in discussions with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the government, seeking clarity and possible relief—seen as crucial for unlocking future fundraising.

Kishore, who has been Vi’s Chief Operating Officer since 2022, has been with the company since March 2015, holding key positions in both corporate strategy and circle operations.

He previously headed Vi’s enterprise business and served as Circle Business Head for Gujarat and Kerala, where he oversaw the launch of India’s first 4G services.

With over 27 years in India’s telecom sector, his career spans diverse functions and geographies, equipping him with deep operational and strategic insight.

Moondra, a veteran of the former Idea Cellular where he served as CFO from 2008 to 2018, played a pivotal role in engineering the Vodafone–Idea merger in 2018.

Taking over as CEO in August 2022, he focused on stabilising the company’s finances, including leading a ₹25,000 crore rights issue in 2019 to reduce debt amid intense market rivalry and merger integration challenges.

During his tenure, the government twice converted Vi’s dues into equity.

The latest was in March 2025, when ₹36,950 crore of spectrum auction dues were converted, lifting the government’s stake to 48.99%—its largest shareholder—while day-to-day operational control stayed with the promoters.