Sunil Mittal to Step Down as Airtel Africa Chair in July
Gopal Vittal will take over as non-executive chair, while Shravin Bharti Mittal is set to become deputy chair in a planned board transition.
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- Sunil Mittal to Step Down as Airtel Africa Chair in July
Image Credit- Diksha Mishra/ MIT Sloan Management Review India
Airtel Africa said Sunil Bharti Mittal will retire as chair of its board at the conclusion of its annual general meeting (AGM) in July, ending a tenure that began before the company’s 2019 London listing.
Gopal Vittal will succeed him as non-executive chair from the same date, while Shravin Bharti Mittal will become deputy chair, according to a London Stock Exchange filing.
Non executive director Annika Poutiainen will also step down at the conclusion of the meeting after serving on the board for over seven years.
Airtel Africa described the changes as part of its board succession planning.
Mittal said Airtel Africa now had “a solid strategy and an outstanding leadership team in place,” adding that it was the right time for him to step aside as chair.
He added that “the company will continue to advance connectivity to the millions of customers we serve across 14 African countries and that he would “be available to support the company” if “requested by the chair.”
Airtel Africa said Vittal’s appointment was made through nomination by the controlling shareholder under an existing relationship agreement involving Bharti Airtel and related entities.
Vittal joined the Airtel Africa board as a non-executive director in October 2024 and is currently chair of the GSMA, the global mobile industry association.
The company said Vittal will not be considered independent under the UK Corporate Governance Code.
On Shravin Bharti Mittal’s appointment, the company said his role would help ensure continuity with the founding family and significant shareholder.
He will also serve as the board’s link to the Airtel Money board, on which he sits, and to Airtel Africa’s headquarters in Dubai, where he is based.
