The Board of Directors of GSMA has elected Gopal Vittal, vice chairman and managing director (MD), Bharti Airtel, as its new chairman, until the end of 2026. Gopal is currently the acting Chair of the GSMA board. In his role, Gopal will oversee the strategic direction of the GSMA.
Gopal has served on the GSMA Board in different capacities for over a decade including as deputy chair for the last three years. He is also a Board member of Bharti Airtel Limited, Airtel Africa PLC and Indus Towers. Prior to this, he was MD and chief executive officer (CEO) for Airtel for 12 years.
Commenting on the announcement, Gopal Vittal, said “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.”
Meanwhile, Mats Granryd, director general, 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 make him very well positioned to lead the Board and the industry through the current challenges and opportunities, including how to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and complete 5G for new business models and revenues streams.”
