Airtel Africa CEO set to retire; Sunil Taldar to take over as CEO & MD
Airtel Africa has appointed Sunil Taldar as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective immediately. He will be succeeding the outgoing CEO, Segun Ogunsanya, who is set to retire on July 1, 2024.
Taldar, who joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as the Director of Operations and Transformation, will work closely with CEO Ogunsanya over the next six months to ensure a seamless transition.
Ogunsanya, who joined Airtel in 2012, led the operations of Airtel Nigeria for nine years before being elevated to the role of Group CEO in 2021. Under his leadership, Airtel Africa experienced growth and expansion, including the launch of the first Sustainability Strategy across the region. Post-retirement, he will continue to serve as the inaugural Chairperson of Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation, overseeing the company’s sustainability initiatives and charitable operations across the region.
In his new role, Taldar brings over 35 years of industry experience. Associated with Bharti Airtel since 2016, he has transitioned into several leadership roles. Prior to joining Airtel, he held positions with Mondelez Indonesia as the Country Head, Cadbury India as the Director of Sales and International Business, and Cadbury China as the Director of Sales.
Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal commented on the leadership change, saying, “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Segun Ogunsanya for his commitment and significant contribution to Airtel Africa plc as Chief Executive and, before that, as Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria, our largest market in Africa. I am pleased that Segun has agreed, following his retirement, to assume the new role as Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation, where he will bring his visionary leadership to this new philanthropic initiative to advance development and prosperity across Africa. Segun will retire from the Board with our very best wishes and sincere appreciation for everything he has achieved.”
Welcoming Taldar into the leadership role, he added, “The Board is delighted to appoint Sunil Taldar as the Group's next Chief Executive Officer. His industry experience, strategic vision, constant customer focus, and proven record of delivery will enable him to achieve our strategic objectives and lead the Group in the next stages of its development. During the transition period, Segun continues to lead the business effectively, as seen in our financial results. Given that Sunil Taldar has already joined the Group, we are confident that we will have an orderly leadership transition and a smooth handover of responsibilities.”
Ogunsanya said, “It has been a privilege to spend over 12 years of my career at Airtel Africa, and I am proud of what we have delivered for customers across Africa. We continue to transform lives. Now is the right time for me to hand over to a new leader who can build on Airtel Africa’s strengths and deliver on the significant opportunities ahead as I pursue my renewed interest in the empowerment of Africans through digital and financial inclusion in a different capacity beyond the boundaries of for-profit organizations. This has been my ambition after a successful career spanning over 35 years in Banking, FMCG, and Telecomm.”