Sunil Bharti Mittal Set To Retire As Chairman Of Airtel Africa

Telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal is set to step down as Chairman of Airtel Africa in July, according to the company's exchange filing. 

The Founder of Bharti Airtel informed the board of his intention to retire as chair of the Board at the conclusion of this year's AGM in July 2026. Mittal has been serving as chair since its listing in 2019.

Further, the board announced that Gopal Vittal will be appointed Non‑Executive Chair of the board with effect from the same date.

Vittal's appointment is by nomination of the controlling shareholder pursuant to the terms of the relationship agreement dated 17 June 2019 between the Company, Bharti Airtel, Airtel Africa Mauritius Limited, the majority shareholder and an indirect subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, and Bharti Telecom.

He is considered an established telecoms leader who led Bharti Airtel to a life-time high revenue market share in an intensely competitive market and is the current Board Chair of the GSMA. He was appointed a non-executive director of Airtel Africa in October 2024.

Further, the “board acknowledged that Vittal will not be independent on appointment for the purposes of the UK Corporate Governance Code,” as per the exchange fling. 

Meanwhile, Shravin Bharti Mittal will assume the role of Deputy Chair with effect from the same date. As Deputy Chair, Mittal will ensure continuity with the founding family and significant shareholder, and will be the Board's conduit with the Airtel Money Board, on which he serves, and with Airtel Africa's headquarters in Dubai, where he is based.

As of 1:24 PM, the shares of Bharti Airtel Ltd surges as much as 1.,76% to hit Rs 1, 835.30.