GSMA Board appoints Gopal Vittal as Acting Chair

Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel and Deputy Chair of GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications), has been appointed as the Acting Chair of the GSMA Board following the resignation of José Maria Álvarez-Pallete, Chairman & CEO, Telefónica. The appointment marks a significant moment for both the Indian telecom industry and the global telecommunications sector, as Vittal steps into the leadership role at a critical time for the industry.

"GSMA represents the global telecommunications industry, comprising over 1,100 companies from across the telecom ecosystem. In this new role, Vittal will focus on strengthening the telecom industry and infrastructure in India," Airtel wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & MD of Bharti Airtel and Deputy Chair of GSMA, has been appointed as the Acting Chair of the GSMA Board.

Gopal was recently re-elected as Deputy Chair.

GSMA represents the global telecommunications industry, comprising over 1,100 companies from… pic.twitter.com/UAtbKRz8o3

— Bharti Airtel (@airtelnews) February 3, 2025

In addition to his appointment as Acting Chair, Vittal was recently re-elected as the Deputy Chair of the GSMA Board for two years, beginning from January 1, 2025. He has also served the board as a key member for the term 2019-2020. The GSMA Board also re-elected Mathew Oommen, President and Board Member at Reliance Jio, as a member for a term of two years beginning January 1, 2025.

The GSMA represents over 1,100 companies across the global telecom ecosystem, playing a crucial role in influencing policy, industry standards, and the development of mobile technologies. The GSMA’s primary goal is to facilitate collaboration across the telecom industry, advocating for the advancement of mobile technology and infrastructure globally.