Shashwat Sharma to assume office as CEO of Bharti Airtel on Jan 1, 2026

Gopal Vittal, who has led Bharti Airtel for 13 years as managing director and chief executive, will assume the role of executive vice chairman on Jan. 1, 2026, as part of a long-planned leadership transition at India’s second-largest telecommunications operator.

Vittal, who was appointed vice chairman in October 2024 alongside his responsibilities as managing director, will oversee Bharti Airtel and all its subsidiaries in his new role. He will also be tasked with driving group-level synergies across digital and technology initiatives, network strategy, procurement and talent, while focusing on broader group strategy and preparing the organization for its next phase of development.

The move clears the way for Shashwat Sharma, currently the company’s chief executive designate, to succeed Vittal as managing director and chief executive of Bharti Airtel India on the same date. Over the past year, Sharma has worked closely with Vittal across the business as part of what the company described as a structured and successful transition process. Sharma will report to Vittal.

As part of the broader leadership reshuffle, Soumen Ray, the chief financial officer of Bharti Airtel India, will be appointed group chief financial officer, reporting to Vittal. Ray has held his current role for about four years and has played a central role in guiding the company’s financial performance.

Akhil Garg, currently the financial controller at Bharti Airtel, will take over as chief financial officer of Bharti Airtel India. Garg, who has been with the company for nearly 12 years, has led multiple business initiatives, including the Hexacom initial public offering, and will report to both Sharma and Ray.

Rohit Puri, the joint company secretary and compliance officer, will be appointed company secretary and compliance officer for Bharti Airtel, while Pankaj Tewari will continue in his role as group company secretary, providing leadership and oversight at the group level.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the chairman of Bharti Airtel, said the leadership transition reflected a balance of continuity and change. “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,” he said. “I have no doubt both Gopal and Shashwat will continue to build on the momentum and I wish them much success in their roles.”

Mittal added that Airtel’s management team combined professional rigor with an entrepreneurial spirit to deliver technology and services to hundreds of millions of customers across its markets. He said he looked forward to working alongside Vittal and the leadership team as the company pursued its ambition of becoming a leading global telecommunications company.