Bharti Airtel has announced a major reshuffle at the top, marking an important moment for the telecom giant. Starting January 1, 2026, Shashwat Sharma will take over as the Managing Director and CEO of Airtel India, while current CEO Gopal Vittal will move into the role of Executive Vice Chairman.
The company shared the update through an exchange filing after its board meeting on Thursday. Airtel said the changes are part of a planned succession process and were recommended by the HR and Nomination Committee.
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Five-year term for the new CEO
Shashwat Sharma will serve a five-year term, subject to shareholder approval. For now, he is CEO-designate and heads Airtel’s consumer business. He has earlier handled operations as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
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Airtel said Sharma has delivered strong results in every role and has been working closely with Gopal Vittal over the past year to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
From January 1, 2026, Gopal Vittal, currently Vice Chairman and MD, will become Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will oversee the entire Airtel Group and its subsidiaries.
His focus will be on key areas such as digital growth, technology, network planning, procurement and talent management, helping strengthen Airtel’s future roadmap.
Key changes in finance and compliance roles
Airtel has also announced important changes in its finance team. Soumen Ray, the current CFO, will move up as Group CFO and report to Gopal Vittal. Akhil Garg has been appointed CFO of Airtel India.
In addition, Rohit Krishna Puri will take over as Company Secretary and Compliance Officer, while Pankaj Tiwari will continue as Group Company Secretary.
Chairman Sunil Mittal reacts
Reacting to the announcement, Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said he is pleased with the leadership transition, calling it timely and well-planned. He added that the move balances continuity with change and expressed confidence that both Gopal Vittal and Shashwat Sharma will drive Airtel’s growth ahead.
Airtel’s recent big milestone
In July, Bharti Airtel crossed a major milestone by overtaking TCS to become India’s third most valuable company by market capitalisation. Airtel’s market value currently stands at over USD 141 billion, behind Reliance Group (USD 231 billion) and HDFC Group (USD 181 billion). TCS now ranks fourth at USD 131 billion.