Airtel Africa Plc has announced that its Chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, has been appointed as a non-independent, non-executive director of BT Group plc, a British mobile telecommunications company.
The disclosure was made in a filing with the Nigerian Exchange, signed by Simon O’Hara, Airtel Africa’s Group Company Secretary.
The statement confirmed that Gopal Vittal, a non-executive director of the company, has also been appointed as a non-independent, non-executive director of BT Group, with both appointments taking effect on September 15, 2025.
Commenting on the development, BT Group Chairman Adam Crozier said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sunil and Gopal to the Board of BT. They bring significant experience and global perspectives in the telecoms industry, and we look forward to their contribution to the Board and to the future success of BT Group.”
The appointments follow a relationship agreement under which Sunil and Gopal join the BT Board as nominated representatives of Bharti Televentures UK Limited, a company established and owned by Bharti Global Limited.
Relationship agreement:
Bharti’s stake in BT Group and the appointments of Sunil and Gopal to the Board are governed by a Relationship Agreement between BT Group and Bharti Global.
The agreement allows Bharti Global to nominate two directors as long as it and its affiliates hold at least 20% of BT’s shares, and one director if their holding is between 10% and 20%.
It also includes standard conditions such as restrictions on certain actions (with exceptions under UK national security and takeover rules) and provisions to keep the market orderly.
The agreement further sets out rules for ending the arrangement and requires that all dealings between BT and Bharti be conducted on fair, arm’s-length terms.
Speaking on the appointment, Sunil Bharti Mittal said: “I am delighted to be joining the Board of BT, an iconic company that delivers critical infrastructure and services for the UK. I look forward to working with Chairman Adam Crozier, the Board, and CEO Allison Kirkby to push the strategy forward, strengthen BT’s position in the market, and provide world-class services to customers.”
BT Group, listed on the London Stock Exchange, is the UK’s leading provider of telecoms and digital services, operating through Consumer, Business, and Openreach, with British Telecommunications plc holding most of its assets.
The nomination of Sunil Bharti Mittal to the Board strengthens the relationship between Bharti Global and BT.
Bharti Global
Bharti Global’s telecom portfolio is led by Airtel, a global communications provider with over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa, along with additional presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associates.
- Airtel is one of the world’s top three mobile operators, with a network that reaches more than two billion people.
- Through Airtel Africa, it is also the second-largest operator on the continent, providing telecom and mobile money services in 14 countries.
The international investment arm of the Bharti Group, Bharti Global, focuses on telecom, technology, digital infrastructure, and space communications, and played a key role in reviving OneWeb, which merged with Eutelsat in 2023.
Its portfolio also includes hospitality assets such as The Hoxton hotels and the Gleneagles resort in Scotland, managed by Ennismore, as well as an investment in Unbound, which supports emerging technology innovation.
