GSMA Appoints Vittal as Permanent Chairman

The GSMA named Gopal Vittal as a permanent new chairman until the close of the current board term at the end of 2026. Previous head Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete was ruled ineligible to continue in the role.

Bharti Airtel Group CEO Vittal was named acting chairman of the GSMA in February to fulfill the function during MWC25 Barcelona and give the organization time to arrange who would follow former Telefonica chief Alvarez-Pallete. As GSMA chair, Vittal will oversee a period when the industry is shifting to standalone 5G, and looking to employ AI and the organization’s Open Gateway APIs to fuel revenue growth.

Vittal highlighted the sector’s contribution of $6.5 trillion to the global economy in 2024, adding it is the spine on which much of the innovation in the world is built. “The GSMA, as a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem, is fundamental to discover, develop, and deliver innovation that delivers positive change for all.”

Director General Mats Granryd explained he had a lengthy working relationship with Vittal, whose knowledge and experience make him very well-positioned to lead the board and industry. Vittal has been a GSMA Board member for eight years, serving as deputy chair since 2023. The GSMA is now readying a replacement deputy chair.

Granryd indicated Vittal’s task is not easy because the industry is wrestling with challenges around how to use AI and complete 5G deployments. The appointment comes as the association sees new director general Vivek Badrinath replace outgoing head Granryd from 1 April.