Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & MD, Bharti Airtel has been appointed as the new Chairman of GSMA until 2026 where he will oversee the strategic direction of the body that represents 1000 telecom companies from around the world, handset and device companies, software companies, equipment providers, internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors.

Gopal Vittal becomes the second Indian after Sunil Bharti Mittal to be elected as the Chairman of the GSMA Board.

Previously, he served 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 Vittal is currently the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel and is also a Board member of Bharti Airtel Limited, Airtel Africa PLC and Indus Towers. Prior to this, he was the Managing Director & CEO for Airtel for 12 years.

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“I am honored 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,” said Gopal Vittal.

Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said, “I have worked with Mr. Vittal for many years and am delighted that he has been appointed Chair of the GSMA Board. His knowledge and experience makes 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.”