Gopal Vittal

Bharti Airtel  

Architect of a globally competitive telecom giant 

From a career in consumer insights to leading one of the world’s largest telecom companies, Mr. Gopal Vittal, an IIM-Calcutta alum, has transformed Bharti Airtel into a digitally advanced and operationally disciplined organization. Strategic clarity and a willingness to challenge old models define his leadership.

Mr. Vittal has a deep understanding of consumers, having spent around two decades at HUL and as Head of Marketing during his first stint at Airtel (2006–2008). Returning to Airtel in 2013 as CEO of India operations and shortly thereafter taking over the roles of MD and CEO for India and South Asia, he has led explosive growth and diversification across mobile services, home broadband, enterprise solutions and digital platforms.

Mr. Vittal has led Airtel to become one of the world’s top three service providers, while also navigating one of the fastest changing technology and regulatory landscapes. Today, the telco serves 590 million customers across 17 countries. Boosting digital inclusion in India, it connected over 85 million people in just last two years.

As part of strategic planning, he led the company in signing a deal with SpaceX for Starlink internet services in India and expanding 4G/5G networks, enterprise cloud services, enterprise solutions, data centre network and access to renewable energy.

Known for fiscal discipline, Mr. Vittal’s flagship War on Waste initiative eliminated over INR10,000 crore in avoidable expenditure over four years. He is also strongly committed to advancing education, energy‑efficient AI solutions and adoption of renewable energy.

As a leader in a fast-changing sector, Mr. Gopal Vittal is focused on steering Airtel toward a digitally empowered future.