From COO to CEO: Abhijit Kishore to Steer Vodafone Idea Through Challenging Times

Telecom major Vodafone Idea has named current chief operating officer Abhijit Kishore as its next Chief Executive Officer. He will replace CEO Akshaya Moondra when his term ends this month, the company said in an exchange filing on August 14. Moondra was appointed to the role for a duration of three years on August 19, 2022, replacing then CEO Ravinder Takkar. His term ends on August 18, 2025.

“Akshaya Moondra, CEO, was appointed by the Board of Directors of the company on August 19, 2022, for a term of three years, which will conclude at the close of business hours on August 18, 2025. Based on the recommendation of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee, the Board has appointed Abhijit Kishore, currently the Chief Operating Officer, as the Chief Executive Officer and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company for a period of three years effective 19th August, 2025,” the telecom operator said in a BSE filing. 

The filing noted that the decision was made during the company's board meeting on August 14. The filing added that Kishore was recommended for the role by the company's nomination and remuneration committee.

“The appointment is necessitated due to Akshaya Moondra ceasing to be the CEO upon completion of his term of three years, which is ending on close of business hours on 18th August, 2025,” the statement read.

He has also been appointed for a period of three years, starting from August 19, 2025.

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Who is Abhijit Kishore?

Abhijit Kishore is currently the COO of Vi and has been associated with the company since March 2015. In that time, he has held multiple senior leadership roles within the organisation, both at circle operations and corporate levels, the exchange filing added.

Prior to taking on the role of COO, he headed the Enterprise Business of Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) as the Chief Enterprise Business Officer; and in the past, he has served as the Circle Business Head for Gujarat and Kerala circles where he successfully launched the first 4G in India.

He is an alumnus of Delhi University and FORE School of Management, Delhi, and has also completed the Senior Leadership Programs from IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School.

Appointment amidst turbulent phase 

Notably, Kishore will take charge at a moment when Vodafone Idea is wrestling with a mountain of financial obligations. The company’s debt pile remains steep, and the shadow of its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues continues to loom large. These payments, which arose after a protracted legal dispute over licence fee calculations, have drained resources that could otherwise have been used for network upgrades and expansion.

Over the past few years, the operator has been trying to stitch together fresh funding and operational efficiencies to keep pace with aggressive competitors in the Indian telecom market. Kishore will inherit the delicate task of balancing urgent investment needs with the company’s repayment commitments—a challenge that will define much of his early tenure.