Bharti Airtel’s Boss Vittal Becomes GSMA’s New Chair

The board of directors of the GSMA elected Gopal Vittal, vice chairman and managing director of Bharti Airtel, as its new chairman until the end of 2026.

Gopal, who is currently the acting chair of the GSMA board, becomes the second Indian after Sunil Bharti Mittal to be elected as the chairman of the organisation, members of this include 1000 telecom companies from around the world, handset and device companies, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies.

In his role as the chairman, Gopal will oversee the strategic direction of the GSMA, according to a statement. “I am honoured to be elected as the chair of the GSMA Board. The mobile industry contributed $6.5 trillion to the global economy in 2024 and is the spine on which much of the innovation in the world is built. The GSMA, as a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem, is fundamental to discover, develop and deliver innovation that impacts positive change for all. I look forward to working closely with the GSMA team and the rest of the Board to continue this important work,” Vittal said.


Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said Vittal’s knowledge and experience “make him very well positioned to lead the board and the industry through the current challenges and opportunities, including how to leverage AI and complete 5G for new business models and revenues streams”.

Vittal has served on the GSMA Board in different capacities for over a decade including as Deputy Chair for the last three years. Most recently, he was also appointed the Acting Chair of the GSMA board in early 2025 and has now been formally elected as the Chair of the GSMA board. Gopal will serve as the Chair of the Board until the end of 2026. The GSMA Board will announce the election of a new Deputy Chair in due course.