Bharti Airtel rejigs company structure, management in Africa
Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced a recast of Africa operations, dividing it into four strategic business units (SBU) that will report to managing director and chief executive Christian de Faria from April 1.
The company elevated managing director for Airtel Uganda, VG Somasekhar, to the post of executive operations director of the SBU clustering Zambia, Congo B, Malawi, Burkina, Niger, Chad, Madagascar and Seychelles.
Airtel Africa has roped in Christophe Soulet as executive operations director of the second SBU consisting of Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Rwanda.
"These two business leaders have distinguished themselves with their exceptional understanding of the African telecoms landscape. We will leverage their experience, leadership and understanding of the African market to accelerate our market leadership opportunities and develop team capabilities," de Faria said in a statement.
In the new structure of Airtel's Africa operations, all operating countries will now be clustered into four strategic business units (SBUs) whose leaders will report into the MD and CEO - Africa, the statement added.
Following Mr Somasekhar's appointment, Arindam Chakrabarty, who is currently chief commercial officer for Airtel Uganda, will be acting as managing director until a new managing director is appointed.
Airtel at present operates in 17 African countries and had over 63.7 million customers at the end of quarter ended March 31, 2013.
This is the second change in management structure of Airtel in about a week.
On January 28, the company made changes in position of top executives at its headquarter in India which will also be effective from April 1.
Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal and three vice chairmen - Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Rajan Bharti Mittal and Akhil Gupta - along with managing director Manoj Kohli and four Bharti veterans, will form the Bharti Governance Board (BGB).
Airtel's joint managing director and CEO for India, Gopal Vittal, will head company's operations in India and South Asia, the company had said.
Airtel's MD and CEO for international business, Manoj Kohli, will also relinquish his to take over as managing director of Bharti Enterprises.
Deputy Group chief executive and managing director of Bharti Enterprises, Akhil Gupta, has been designated as chairman of Bharti Infratel and vice chairman of Bharti Enterprises, and will serve on other Bharti boards.
Bharti Infratel chief executive DS Rawat was elevated as MD and CEO of the company.
The change in Bharti Airtel management has come following quarter when it registered more than double net profit at o Rs 610 crore in the third quarter of the ongoing fiscal year (FY14) - the first increase in four years.
