Come January 2026 and Bharti Airtel will see changes in its leadership ranks. Gopal Vittal, who has been leading Bharti Airtel as managing director and CEO for the last thirteen years, will become executive vice chairman, and will oversee the company and all its subsidiaries. He will drive group synergies in the areas of digital and technology, network strategy, procurement and talent, even while strategising and future proofing the organization for the next evolution of its development.
As part of the structured succession process, Shashwat Sharma will step into Vittal’s shoes as managing director and CEO of Bharti Airtel India. As CEO designate he has been taking over from Vittal over the past one year and gearing up for this role. In his new role, he will report to Vittal.
Meanwhile, Soumen Ray, who has been chief financial officer for the past four years, will be elevated to group chief financial officer, also reporting to Vittal.
Akhil Garg, the present financial controller, Bharti Airtel will take over the chief financial officer role from Ray. Garg has been associated with Airtel for almost 12 years. In his new role, he will report to Sharma and Ray.
Additionally, the company’s joint company secretary and compliance officer, Rohit Puri, will now move to the role of company secretary and compliance officer. Pankaj Tewari will continue in the role of group company secretary.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman, Bharti Airtel is “pleased with the succession and transition of leadership at Airtel” and is confident that it is well timed and that the “change and continuity will go hand in hand”.