Airtel Chief Mittal Eyes Next-Gen Leadership in Decade

Bharti Airtel's helm is set for a generational shift, as declared by founder Sunil Bharti Mittal. Speaking on Thursday during an earnings conference call, the telecom titan revealed plans to relinquish control to younger leaders by the end of the next decade. Fresh off his reappointment as Chairman until 2031, Mittal's comments highlight a deliberate strategy to ensure continuity. The board's nod to extend Nisaba Godrej's tenure as independent director further bolsters Airtel's leadership bench. Financially, Q4 FY26 painted a mixed picture. Mobile revenues in India climbed 8.3% to Rs 28,831 crore, driven by customer additions and ARPU improvement to Rs 257. Yet, net profit halved to Rs 7,325 crore on exceptional provisions. Annual revenues broke the Rs 2 lakh crore barrier, with Q4 operations revenue up 15.6% to Rs 55,383 crore—thanks in large part to Africa's stellar 40% surge. Airtel now boasts over 650 million customers, cementing its dominance. Mittal wasn't thrilled with the quarterly outcomes and vowed to prioritize ARPU enhancement. Markets responded positively, pushing shares up 3% post-earnings, betting on Airtel's resilient ecosystem despite profit dips. This succession blueprint comes at a pivotal time for Indian telecom, where 5G rollouts and data demands are reshaping the landscape. Mittal's foresight positions Airtel not just for survival, but for thriving into the future, with fresh minds at the wheel.