According to reports, Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & MD, Bharti Airtel has been appointed as the new Chairman of GSMA until 2026 where he will oversee the strategic direction of the body that represents 1000 telecom companies from around the world, handset and device companies, software companies, equipment providers, internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors.

Gopal Vittal has become the second Indian, following Sunil Bharti Mittal, to be elected as the Chairman of the GSMA Board. He has previously contributed to the GSMA Board in various roles for over ten years, including serving as Deputy Chair for the past three years.

Most recently, in early 2025, he was appointed as the Acting Chair of the GSMA board and has now been officially elected as its Chair. Gopal Vittal currently holds the positions of Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Bharti Airtel, and he is also a Board member at Bharti Airtel Limited, Airtel Africa PLC, and Indus Towers. Before this, he was the Managing Director and CEO of Airtel for 12 years.

Gopal Vittal says, “I am honored 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 organization 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,” adds Gopal Vittal.

 

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Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA says, “I have worked with  Vittal for many years and am delighted that he has been appointed Chair of the GSMA Board. 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.”