Sunil Taldar to take the helm at Airtel Africa as Segun Ogunsanya steps down

Business a.m

Airtel Africa has announced the retirement of Segun Ogunsanya,its chief executive officer, and the appointment of Sunil Taldar as his successor. The announcement was made in a corporate filing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) website, and stated that Taldar will take over as CEO on July 1, 2024, upon Ogunsanya’s retirement. 

Sunil Taldar joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as director of transformation. Before his appointment with Airtel Africa, Sunil Taldar was the director of market operations at Bharti Airtel, the controlling entity in Airtel Africa.  

Taldar is a graduate of Delhi University, and has extensive experience in the FMCG sector. He started his career with Cadbury India, where he held a number of senior positions. In 2008, he was appointed as general manager for Cadbury in China, and then went on to head Mondelez Indonesia in 2013. In 2016, Taldar joined Bharti Airtel as director of direct-to-home business, and was responsible for the company’s DTH operations in India.

Meanwhile,Ogunsanya is a graduate of University of Ibadan, where he studied Political Science. He then went on to complete his MBA from the prestigious Lagos Business School. Ogunsanya’s impressive career in the telecoms industry spans three decades, and he has held several top positions within the industry, including the position of CEO of Airtel Nigeria, a role he held for over two years. 

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the Chairman of Airtel Africa praised Ogunsanya for his dedication and achievements during his time as CEO of Airtel Africa, which saw the company maintain double-digit revenue growth and introduce innovative products and services to its customers across the continent. Mittal went on to say that Ogunsanya has been instrumental in the company’s strategy and vision, and that his leadership will be sorely missed.

“I am pleased 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,” he said.  

Mittal expressed the board’s excitement at the appointment of Taldar as the next CEO of Airtel Africa. He noted that Taldar’s background in the FMCG industry, his vision and focus on customers, and his proven track record of success will be crucial in driving the company’s strategic objectives and taking it to the next level.

The Airtel Africa chairman also highlighted the continuity that Airtel Africa will experience during the transition period, with Ogunsanya continuing to lead the company until Taldar officially takes over on July 1, 2024. He noted that, despite the changes in leadership, Airtel Africa’s financial results have continued to be strong, and that the company is well-positioned for continued success. 

 Ogunsanya thanked the board for the opportunity to serve as CEO of Airtel Africa for the past 12 years. He expressed pride in the company’s achievements during this time, including its efforts to improve the lives of its customers across Africa.

Ogunsanya noted that, having achieved his goals at Airtel Africa, he is ready to pursue new opportunities in the fields of digital and financial inclusion. He has a long-standing interest in these areas, and believes that he can have a significant impact on the lives of Africans by working outside the confines of a for-profit organisation. Ogunsanya thanked the board for their support and expressed confidence that Airtel Africa will continue to thrive under the leadership of Taldar.