Bharti Airtel appoints COO Shashwat Sharma as new CEO
What's the story
Leading telecommunications company Bharti Airtel has announced the appointment of Shashwat Sharma, as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Sharma, who is currently the company's Chief Operating Officer, will take over his new role from January 1, 2026. As the CEO-designate, he will lead the entire end-to-end consumer business of Bharti Airtel.
Mentorship role
Gopal Vittal to mentor Sharma in new role
Gopal Vittal, the current MD and CEO of Bharti Airtel, will move into the Vice Chairman role. His main job will be to mentor and groom Sharma for his new role as MD and CEO. Once Sharma takes charge, Vittal will be Executive Vice Chairman, splitting his time between Delhi and Bengaluru and continuing to lead the group including overseas operations.
Board reshuffle
Vittal's expanded telecom responsibilities and board changes
Along with his mentorship, Vittal will take on wider telecom responsibilities across the group. He will join the board of Airtel Africa as the Bharti nominee director and provide strategic guidance. Meanwhile, board member Rakesh Bharti Mittal will move from the Bharti Airtel board to Indus Towers's board after a nine-year stint. Rajan Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, has been nominated as a new member on Airtel's board with immediate effect.
Succession strategy
Airtel's leadership transition plan
Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said he was pleased with the firm's leadership transition plan. "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," Mittal said in a statement.