GSMA announces Vivek Badrinath as director general

London, UK – Following the conclusion of a rigorous selection process, the GSMA Board is pleased to announce that Vivek Badrinath has been appointed Director General and Member of the GSMA Board effective 1^st April 2025.

This follows the announcement on 4^th June 2024, that Mats Granryd, Director General of the organisation will, as planned, step down from his role after MWC Barcelona 2025. Granryd will remain as Director General until the end of March 2025 and then take on a new role of Special Advisor to the Board for the remainder of 2025.

“I am delighted to announce Vivek Badrinath’s appointment.” said José María Álvarez-Pallete López, Chairman of the GSMA. “During our selection process it was clear that Vivek’s deep understanding of the industry and its potential make him the ideal individual to lead the GSMA into the next phase of its evolution. I am confident that Vivek will work, together with the Board and our excellent GSMA Leadership Team, to drive change and innovation, creating value for both the industry and society.”

“I’m proud and honoured to be joining the GSMA at such an exciting time in the industry’s development,” said Vivek Badrinath. “I look forward to working with the GSMA Board, it’s Members, and the Leadership Team to extend and amplify the positive impact of the mobile ecosystem for people, industry and society globally.”

Badrinath’s extensive expertise in technology and management has led him to holding significant leadership roles, most recently at Vantage Towers AG where he was the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board.

In 2016, Badrinath was appointed Regional CEO of Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific at Vodafone, and became a member of Vodafone’s Executive Committee. Prior to his time at Vodafone, Badrinath held key positions at Orange, culminating in his appointment as Deputy CEO, Innovation, Marketing, and Technology, where he played a crucial part in driving digital transformation, expanding market reach, and improving customer experience. His leadership style and accomplishments have made him a respected figure in the global technology community.