Bharti Airtel has announced that Shashwat Sharma, the company’s current Chief Operating Officer (COO), will be appointed the Managing Director & the CEO effective January 1, 2026.
He joined Airtel as Chief Marketing & Brand Officer from Hindustan Unilever Limited.(Hul) back in 2018 and was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer only in October 2023 after holding several posted in the company.
Airtel said that the Gopal Vittal as the MD & CEO in the last twelve years led Airtel to build a winning portfolio of businesses across mobile, B2B, Home Broadband, DTH and digital services, and to achieve revenue market share in mobile from 30% to 40% in a highly competitive market.
As part of a structured succession process, Gopal, in addition to being the Managing Director, has been appointed Vice Chairman of Airtel. In this role, while continuing to lead the India business, he will take on broader telecom responsibilities across the group, said the company.
Gopal will be appointed to the Board of Airtel Africa Plc as the Bharti nominee director to provide strategic guidance. In addition, he will be responsible for driving group synergies in select areas such as Network strategy, digital & technology, procurement and talent.
After the transition in 2026, Gopal Vittal, will assume the role of Vice Chairman and Executive Vice Chairman, said the company. As CEO designate, Shashwat will be responsible for the entire consumer business and will be mentored by Gopal to ensure a seamless transition, it added.
Regarding the new announcement, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel said:
Airtel, India’s foremost corporate entity, has had a distinguished record of well-thought-out structured succession planning. I am extremely pleased with the succession and transition plan of leadership at Airtel and there could not have been a better time for Airtel to unveil the new arrangement where change and continuity will go hand in hand.
Empowerment has been an article of faith with me, which has resulted in a highly energized management delivering superior results. Airtel is one of the rare home-grown enterprises where the finest professionals combine entrepreneurial flair to bring, to hundreds of millions of customers, the best technology and services in our industry.