Bharti Enterprises Vice Chairman Akhil Gupta to Retire on March 31

Akhil Gupta, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, will retire on March 31, 2026, concluding more than 3 decades with the group. The decision was communicated to employees through an internal email, according to The Moneycontrol report.  

Gupta has gradually reduced his involvement in routine matters over recent years and is stepping down to focus on personal interests. 

Early Years at Bharti 

Gupta joined Bharti Enterprises during its early phase and remained closely involved as the group built its telecom business.  

Between 1995 and 2000, he worked on Bharti’s entry into mobile telephony, handling licensing strategy, regulatory engagement, and early network rollout. This period coincided with a tightly controlled telecom environment in India. 

Airtel’s Domestic Expansion 

In the early 2000s, Gupta held senior executive and board roles as Bharti Airtel expanded its presence across India. His tenure covered multiple spectrum auctions, pricing-led competition and shifts in telecom policy.  

He was also associated with Airtel’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2002, one of the earlier IPOs in the sector. 

Africa Acquisition 

Gupta was part of the leadership team involved in Airtel’s $10.7 billion acquisition of Zain Africa in 2010.  

The transaction gave Airtel operations across several African markets and was among the largest overseas acquisitions by an Indian company at the time. The deal marked Airtel’s transition into a multinational telecom operator. 

Regulatory Phase and Balance Sheet 

Following the Africa acquisition, Gupta was involved during a prolonged period of regulatory change. This phase included 2G licence cancellations, spectrum re-farming and increased compliance costs across the industry.  

He worked on financial and structural matters as telecom operators faced sustained pressure on revenues and costs. 

Board Roles and Transition 

Gupta retired as a non-executive director of Airtel Africa Plc on July 9, 2025. In April, he joined the board of quick commerce company Zepto.  

His retirement from Bharti Enterprises brings to an end a long association that overlapped with the growth of Airtel in India and overseas. 

Bharti Airtel Share Price Performance  

As of January 6, 2025, 10:24 am, Bharti Airtel share price was trading at ₹2,117.50, a 0.59% increase from the previous closing price. 

Read More: Bharti Airtel Board Approves First and Final Call on Partly Paid Shares! 

Conclusion  

With Gupta stepping down, Bharti Enterprises concludes a long-standing leadership tenure. The change has been managed through a gradual handover over time. 

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