The Board of Directors of the GSM Association (GSMA) has elected Gopal Vittal, Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, as its new Chairman, effective until 2026.
According to a press statement by GSMA, Vittal has been a member of the GSMA Board for eight years, previously served as Deputy Chair since 2023 and most recently as Acting Chair from January 2025.
The GSMA Board stated that Gopal Vittal will serve as Chair until the end of 2026.
“The GSMA Board of Directors has elected Gopal Vittal, as Chair, for the remainder of the Board term, until the end of 2026,” GSMA noted.
As GSMA Chair, Vittal will guide the organization’s strategic direction, focusing on advancing 5G Standalone networks, exploring new revenue models, and leveraging AI and Open Gateway APIs, which already have support from operators covering 80% of global mobile connections.
The GSM Association (GSMA) is a global organization that represents the interests of mobile network operators and the broader mobile industry including mobile network operators, device manufacturers, software developers, and internet service providers.
Vittal’s vision for GSMA
Vittal expressed gratitude for his appointment, emphasizing the mobile industry’s $6.5 trillion impact in 2024 and GSMA’s role in driving innovation while pledging to work closely with the team and board.
“I am honored to be elected as the Chair of the GSMA Board. 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 discovering, developing, and delivering 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,” he said
He also noted that GSMA’s membership includes approximately 1,000 telecom companies worldwide, alongside handset and device manufacturers, software developers, equipment providers, internet companies, and organizations from adjacent industry sectors.
GSMA leadership reacts
GSMA Director-General Mats Granryd welcomed Vittal’s appointment, expressing his delight and highlighting their long-standing professional relationship.
“I have worked with Vittal for many years and I am delighted that he has been appointed as substantive Chair of the GSMA board,” he said.
- Granryd added that Vittal’s extensive experience positioned him well to lead the GSMA board through challenges and opportunities in the telecom industry.
“The industry’s challenges include leveraging AI and completing 5G for new business models and revenue streams,” he noted.
- He further stated that Vittal had been a member of the GSMA board for over a decade, serving in various capacities, including as deputy chairman for the past three years.
“Most recently, he was also appointed the acting chair of the GSMA board in early 2025 and has now been formally elected. Vittal will serve as the Chair of the board until the end of 2026,” Granryd said.
With this new role, he will provide strategic oversight and guidance to the global telecom industry body.
