Global telecom organisation GSMA has elected Bharti Airtel managing director Gopal Vittal as the new chairman, the Indian telecom company announced said on March 24. Vittal, who will hold the position till the end of 2026, is the acting chair on the board of the London-headquartered GSM Association.
Vittal will be the second Indian to be elected GSMA chairman. In 2016, Bharti Enterprises founder Sunil Mittal became the first Indian to be elected to the chairman of the organisation, which represents nearly 1,000 telecom companies globally, along with handset and device companies, software companies and other industry players.
Vittal will oversee the strategic direction at GSMA, the Airtel said, while that the appointment shows the significant influence it has in the global telecom industry.
Vittal has now been associated with GSMA for over a decade. He served as its deputy chair for three years before being appointed as the acting chair early this year.
"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.
GSMA director general Mats Granryd hailed Vittal's appointment. "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," he said.
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