Akhil Gupta Appointed Chairman of Bharti AXA Life Insurance

In June 2024, Akhil Gupta, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was appointed Chairman of Bharti AXA Life Insurance. With over 40 years of experience, Gupta has been a key figure in Bharti Airtel’s growth and has played a pivotal role in forming strategic partnerships with major investors such as Warburg Pincus, Temasek, KKR, Qatar Foundation Endowment, AIF, and Sequoia Capital. He has also overseen the successful public listings of Bharti Airtel, Bharti Infratel, and Airtel Africa.

Early Career and Educational Background

A Chartered Accountant by training, Gupta brings strong financial expertise to his role. While his early career details are not widely available, his financial acumen has been crucial to his success at Bharti Enterprises.

Key Roles and Contributions at Bharti Enterprises

Gupta has held several significant positions during his time at Bharti Enterprises:

Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprise

Gupta has played a central role in the company's growth, both through organic expansion and acquisitions. He facilitated partnerships with global operators like British Telecom, Telecom Italia, Singapore Telecom, and Vodafone, and attracted financial investors such as Warburg Pincus, Temasek, KKR, Qatar Foundation Endowment, AIF, and Sequoia Capital.

Executive Chairman of Bharti Infratel Limited

Gupta oversaw the separation of passive mobile infrastructure and the formation of Indus Towers, a joint venture with Vodafone and Idea, which has grown into one of the largest tower companies globally.

Chief Financial Officer of Bharti Airtel

As CFO for over 12 years, Gupta was key in shaping the company’s financial strategy, contributing significantly to its growth.

Strategic Leadership Enhancements

To further bolster its leadership, Bharti AXA Life Insurance appointed two new directors to its board:

Dinesh Kumar Mittal

A former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Mittal has held key roles, including Secretary of the Department of Financial Services, overseeing banking, insurance, and pension policies. He also served as India's Chief Negotiator during WTO discussions and played a role in formulating India’s SEZ policy in 2000.

V. V. Ranganathan

A finance expert with over 40 years of experience, Ranganathan was a Senior Partner at EY and is now a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.

Strategic Direction and Future Plans

Now fully owned by Bharti Group, Bharti AXA Life Insurance is focused on its strategic growth. The company is working on plans for expansion, targeting key markets and customer segments, developing customer-centric products, and exploring strategic partnerships, including bancassurance and digital distribution.