Airtel Africa Plc has announced that its Chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, has been appointed as a non-independent, non-executive director of BT Group plc, a leading British telecommunications company.
Alongside him, Gopal Vittal, a non-executive director of Airtel Africa, has also been named to the BT Group Board, with both appointments effective from September 15, 2025.
Relationship Agreement Between Bharti and BT Group
The appointments stem from a Relationship Agreement between BT Group and Bharti Global Limited, Bharti Enterprises’ international investment arm. Under this agreement, Bharti Global can nominate two directors to BT’s board as long as its ownership remains above 20%, or one director if the holding is between 10% and 20%.
The agreement includes provisions restricting certain actions by Bharti Global, though exceptions apply under UK national security and takeover rules. It also requires all business dealings between BT and Bharti to be conducted on fair, arm’s-length terms while outlining procedures to maintain orderly market conduct.
Sunil Bharti Mittal
Sunil Bharti Mittal is the Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s foremost first-generation corporations with interests in Telecom, Space Communications, Digital Solutions, Real Estate, and Hospitality. He is also the Chairman of Bharti Airtel Limited (commonly known as Airtel).
Bharti has joint ventures with several global partners like SingTel, SoftBank, the UK and French Governments, amongst others.
Bharti Airtel, the flagship company of Bharti Enterprises, is a global telecommunications company with operations in 15 countries across India and Africa and ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally.
The company also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities. It is one of India’s largest integrated communications solutions providers and Sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest mobile operator, serving more than half a billion customers across its operations.
Sunil is the Co-Chairman of Eutelsat Group, a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. Sunil is also the Chair of Airtel Africa plc.
Sunil is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, awarded to individuals for demonstrating distinguished services of high order. He has been conferred as an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) making him the first Indian citizen to receive this recognition from HM King Charles III.
Gopal Vittal
Gopal Vittal is currently the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Limited (commonly known as Airtel).
In the last 12 years under his leadership, the company has grown its market share from 30% to over 40% and increased its market capitalization fivefold – from USD 20 billion to USD 120 billion – making it the fourth most valuable company in India.
Under Gopal’s tenure, Airtel has transformed into a highly diversified portfolio of businesses, with significant expansions in mobile, home broadband, enterprise services, and digital platforms. His vision has also fostered a company culture that is focused on agility, talent and innovation, earning Airtel numerous accolades.
Before joining Airtel, Gopal spent 20 years at Hindustan Unilever, where he held leadership roles across multiple categories and markets. His last position was as the Head of the Home and Personal Care division, where he was also a member of the Hindustan Unilever board.
Gopal serves on the boards of Bharti Airtel Limited, Airtel Africa Plc, and Indus Towers. He is also the Chairperson of GSMA, the global association representing the mobile industry. An alumnus of Madras Christian College, he holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.
About Bharti Enterprises and Bharti Global
Bharti Enterprises’ flagship company Airtel, counts over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa, with extended operations in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Globally, Airtel ranks among the top three mobile operators, with networks reaching over two billion people, and its subsidiary Airtel Africa is a key FTSE 100-listed operator.
Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, has a long-term record of UK investments, most notably the revival of OneWeb. The company played a critical role in merging OneWeb with Eutelsat in 2023, consolidating a powerful player in the satellite communications sector.
