Bharti chief Sunil Mittal new chairman of GSMA

NEW DELHI: Bharti Enterprises chief Sunil Mittal has been elected chairman of global telecom body GSMA for a two-year term, starting January. Mittal will oversee the strategic direction of GSMA, which represents nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, the London-based telecom group said in a statement Thursday.

Mittal, who is also the chairman of India's top carrier Bharti Airtel, a part of Bharti Enterprises, led a delegation of the GSMA board for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The delegation discussed the role of mobile connectivity in the economy and the government’s ‘Digital India’ vision of broadband as a utility.

“I am delighted to be elected as chairman of the GSMA, and look forward to working closely with the rest of the board, the GSMA leadership team and our entire membership to address the critical issues facing our industry and our customers,” Mittal said.

Mittal will take over from Jon Fredrik Baksaas, who will step down from the GSMA board at the end of 2016. Baksaas was GSMA chairman for three years. He was elected to the GSMA board in 2008.

“With nearly 4.8 billion individuals around the world subscribing to mobile services, it is the most pervasive and fast-growing platform of users ever built,” Baksaas said in a statement. “It is now accessible to billions in both developing and developed markets, providing life-enhancing services and enabling new socio-economic opportunities for all.” According to Mittal, mobile phones have a transformational impact on individuals, businesses, industries and societies, contributing significantly to local economies and improving the lives of billions around the world.