Bharti Airtel has elevated Raghunath Mandava from the position of chief operating officer (COO) of its Africa operations to managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO). In his new role, Mandava will be a permanent invitee to the Bharti Airtel board and will represent Airtel Africa. He is likely to take over the new position from January 1, 2017. Meanwhile, the executive chairman of Airtel’s Africa unit, Christian Defaria, has been designated chairman at the company’s Netherlands division.