 "Airtel Africa")
Airtel Africa on Tuesday announced the appointment of Sunil Taldar as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and the retirement of long-time CEO Olusegun Ogunsanya.
Ogunsanya will retire on July 1, 2024, after a 12-year-long stint in the company. He had run the Nigeria Operations of the Telecommunications and mobile money company for nine years before his appointment as CEO of Airtel Africa group in 2021.
Over this time, the company has grown to serve 14 national markets, primarily in East and Central Africa. With a total user base of 147.7 million as of the quarter ending September 2023, it is the second-largest mobile network operator on the African continent.
"With local knowledge of the African landscape and deep distribution experience, he led the company in maintaining double-digit revenue growth over many quarters and to deliver new, innovative products to its customers across the continent," the company said in a statement.
Ogunsanya will now be available to advise the Chairman, the Airtel Africa Board, and Chief Executive Officer for a 12-month period, the company said. He will also become the inaugural Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation, which will focus on promoting digital inclusion, financial inclusion, access to education, and environmental protection. The Charitable Foundation will be a separate legal entity and be independent of the Airtel Africa Group.
Taldar, who joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as Director – Transformation, will begin the transition to the CEO role, working alongside Ogunsanya. He will be appointed to the Board as an Executive Director and assume the CEO's role in July.
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Segun Ogansanya 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. In respect of the transition period, Segun continues to lead the business very 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 handover of responsibilities," Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Airtel Africa plc.
