Bharti Airtel has approved a series of changes to its board and senior management as part of a planned succession process. The board has appointed Gopal Vittal as Executive Vice Chairman in the capacity of a whole-time director, subject to shareholder approval, with effect from January 1, 2026, for a five-year term.
The company has also appointed Shashwat Sharma as Managing Director and CEO of Airtel India, effective January 1, 2026, for a five-year term, subject to shareholder approval. Sharma has previously served as CEO designate and has worked closely with Vittal over the past year during the transition period.
In addition to the leadership changes, the board has elevated Soumen Ray as Group Chief Financial Officer, while Akhil Garg has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for Airtel India. Both appointments have taken effect from January 1, 2026. Ray has continued to report to Vittal, while Garg has reported to Sharma and Ray.
The board has further appointed Rohit Krishan Puri as Company Secretary and Compliance Officer with effect from January 1, 2026. Pankaj Tewari has continued to provide leadership and oversight at the group level as Group Company Secretary.
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. I look forward to working alongside Gopal and the team to continue this pursuit as we drive towards our ambition of building the best global Telcom company”
