Operators

GSMA re-elects Airtel's Gopal Vittal as chair

GSMA re-elects Airtel's Gopal Vittal as chair

The GSMA has re-elected Bharti Airtel executive vice chairman Gopal Vittal as its chair for the 2027-28 term, while MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita and Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle have retained their positions as co-deputy chairs.

The GSMA board of directors, which includes senior executives from leading mobile operators, voted to reappoint Vittal for a term running until December 2028.

 

Vittal will continue to oversee the strategic direction of the industry body as the telecoms sector enters what he described as “a new era”, in which advanced networks, artificial intelligence and digital platforms can create economic value.

He also identified security as a key priority, saying the GSMA must help ensure the industry remains sustainable amid persistent cybersecurity threats.

Vittal is executive vice chairman of India's Bharti Airtel, the world's second-largest mobile operator by customer numbers.

Mupita has been MTN Group CEO since 2020, having previously served as the operator's chief financial officer. He has held the GSMA co-deputy chair role since April 2025. He is also a commissioner on the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and a founding commissioner of the ITU's AI for Good Global Commission.

Della Valle became Vodafone Group CEO in January 2023, after serving as the company's chief financial officer from 2018. She has since overseen a major restructuring of the operator group.



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