Vodafone Idea appoints COO Abhijit Kishore as CEO

Vodafone Idea Ltd (Vi) has named Chief Operating Officer Abhijit Kishore as its new Chief Executive Officer, with effect from 19 August 2025, for a term of three years. The announcement was made by the company in a filing to the stock exchanges on Thursday.

The move follows the scheduled conclusion of Akshaya Moondra’s tenure as CEO on 18 August 2025. Moondra, who was appointed in August 2022 for a three-year term, will step down at the close of business on that date.

In its regulatory filing, Vodafone Idea stated: “Mr. Abhijit Kishore has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company for a period of 3 (three) years effective from 19th August, 2025. The appointment is necessitated due to Mr. Akshaya Moondra ceasing to be the Chief Executive Officer upon completion of his term of 3 years, which is ending on close of business hours on 18th August, 2025.”

Moondra had succeeded Ravinder Takkar in 2022, taking charge of the telecom operator during a period of competitive and financial pressures for the sector.

Kishore has been associated with Vodafone Idea since March 2015, holding a range of senior leadership roles. Prior to becoming COO, he served as Chief Enterprise Business Officer, leading the company’s enterprise operations. He has also worked as Circle Business Head for both Gujarat and Kerala circles.

According to the company’s disclosure, Kishore has more than 27 years of experience in the Indian telecom industry, spanning consumer and enterprise business segments. His leadership at the circle level included network launches and operational oversight in key markets.

Vodafone Idea, formed through the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular in 2018, is one of India’s largest telecom operators by subscriber base. The company is jointly promoted by the UK’s Vodafone Group and India’s Aditya Birla Group.

The new leadership transition will officially take place on 19 August 2025, the day after Moondra’s term concludes. Vi has not issued a public statement from Kishore regarding his priorities as incoming CEO.