Bharti Airtel succession plan: Shashwat Sharma named MD & CEO; Gopal Vittal to be executive vice chairman

Indian multinational telecom giant Bharti Airtel's board of directors, on Thursday, 18 December 2025, approved changes in company management, while appointing Gopal Vittal as the executive vice chairman, and Shashwat Sharma as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective from 1 January 2026, according to an exchange filing.

In the BSE filing, the firm said that Vittal, who is currently serving as the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, will become the Executive Vice Chairman of the telecom giant for the next five years.

Shashwat Sharma, who was named as the CEO in October 2024, is now set to take over the company's reins effective 1 January 2026, according to the official announcement.

The telecom major also appointed Soumen Ray as the Group Chief Financial Officer and Rohit Krishan Puri as the Company Secretary and Compliance Officer of Bharti Airtel.

“I am extremely pleased with the succession and transition of leadership at Airtel, and there could not have been a better time, where change and continuity will go hand in hand. I have no doubt both Gopal and Shashwat will continue to build on the momentum, and I wish them much success in their roles,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal, the Chairman of Bharti Airtel.

Bharti Airtel shares to be in focus

Bharti Airtel shares are set to be in focus of the stock market investors on Friday, 19 December 2025, after the company reiterated its top management succession plan and announced a ₹15,740 crore capital raise plan through partly-paid shares.

Shares of the telecom giant closed 0.79% lower at ₹2,092.05 after Thursday's stock market session, compared to ₹2,108.65, according to the data collected from BSE. The company announced its board meeting updates after the market operating hours on 18 December 2025.

Shares of the company hit their 52-week high level at ₹2,174.70 on 21 November 2025, while the 52-week low level stood at ₹1,561 on 28 February 2025, according to the BSE data. The company's market capitalisation (M-Cap) stands at more than ₹11.92 trillion as of the stock market close on 18 December 2025.

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