Sunil Bharti Mittal will retire as chair of Airtel Africa at the conclusion of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) in July 2026. The board has appointed Gopal Vittal as non-executive chair with effect from the same date. Vittal is currently the executive vice chairman of Bharti Airtel and has been serving as a non-executive director on Airtel Africa’s board since October 2024.
Shravin Bharti Mittal will assume the role of deputy chair. In this position, he will act as a link between the board, the Airtel Money board, of which he is a member, and Airtel Africa’s headquarters in Dubai, while ensuring continuity with the founding shareholders.
Mittal has served as chair of Airtel Africa since its listing in 2019. The company said his retirement is part of a planned leadership transition.
As part of broader succession planning, Annika Poutiainen will also retire from the board at the July AGM after serving for over seven years.
The company noted that Vittal’s appointment has been made by nomination of the controlling shareholder under the terms of the relationship agreement dated June 17, 2019, involving Bharti Airtel, Airtel Africa Mauritius Limited and Bharti Telecom. It added that Vittal will not be considered independent under the UK Corporate Governance Code upon assuming the role.
