11 March 2024 – Sunil Bharati Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, renowned for building a global telecom business, discusses key factors contributing to Airtel’s success. Winner of the Business Icon of the Year award, Mittal delves into Airtel’s resilience during industry upheavals, strategic investments, and the company’s unique approach to employee empowerment.
About Airtel:
Airtel, under Mittal’s leadership, boasts a subscriber base of nearly 400 million, making it one of the world’s leading telecom companies. Mittal emphasizes Airtel’s customer-centric focus, robust network investments, and the pivotal role of empowered employees in shaping the company’s identity.
Mittal highlights three pillars crucial to Airtel’s success: unwavering customer focus, substantial investments in a robust network, and fostering a culture where employees feel a sense of ownership. The company’s early adoption of 4G technology, even ahead of competitors, is cited as a strategic decision that proved instrumental in navigating industry shifts.
While Airtel ventured into diverse sectors, including insurance, food and beverage, and real estate, Mittal acknowledges the challenges of simultaneously managing these verticals amid storms in the core telecom business. Despite the businesses not scaling as envisioned, Mittal expresses no regrets, emphasizing the success achieved in the telecom sector.
Bharti Enterprises Africa Expansion:
Reflecting on Airtel’s foray into Africa, Mittal reveals the initial difficulties faced in integrating the acquired operations across 16 countries. He candidly discusses the learning curve, stating that the first four to five years were challenging, emphasizing the unique complexities of entering diverse markets on the African continent.
Sunil Bharati Mittal’s insights provide a glimpse into Airtel’s journey, marked by resilience, strategic decision-making, and a culture of empowerment. As Airtel continues to navigate industry dynamics and global expansions, Mittal’s leadership philosophy underscores the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction, technological innovation, and the integral role of its workforce.
