The Board of Directors of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) on Monday has elected Gopal Vittal – Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel, as its new Chairman, until the end of 2026.
Vittal is currently the acting Chair of the GSMA Board.
In his role as the Chairman, he will oversee the strategic direction of the GSMA. The members of this industry body include 1,000 telecom companies from around the world, handset and device companies, software companies, equipment providers, internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors.
Vittal becomes the second Indian after Sunil Bharti Mittal to be elected as the Chairman of the GSMA Board, Bharti Airtel said in a statement.
“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 organisation 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,” Vittal said.
Vittal has served on the GSMA Board in different capacities for over a decade including as Deputy Chair for the last three years. Most recently, he was also appointed the Acting Chair of the GSMA Board in early 2025 and has now been formally elected as the Chair of the GSMA board. The GSMA Board will announce the election of a new Deputy Chair in due course, the statement said.
“I have worked with Vittal for many years…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,” Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said.
