Airtel Kenya Announces Leadership Changes as MD Ashish Malhotra Exits

Airtel Kenya has appointed Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, succeeding Ashish Malhotra, who has taken up a new role as the Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa.

In a press release dated June 30, 2026, the Board of Airtel Networks expressed confidence that Tobe’s leadership will drive the telecommunications firm through its next phase of growth and innovation.

“ The Board of Airtel Networks Kenya Limited has appointed Djibril Tobe as the Managing Director of Airtel Kenya, succeeding Ashish Malhotra who takes up a new role as the Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa,” read part of the press release.

Tobe joins Airtel Kenya with more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning the telecommunications, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and consulting sectors across several African markets.

Djibril Tobe Takes Over as Airtel Kenya Managing Director

Before his appointment, Djibril Tobe served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo B, a position he held from May 2023.

His previous leadership roles within the Airtel Group include serving as Managing Director of Airtel Chad and Commercial Director at Airtel Burkina Faso.

Before joining Airtel Kenya, Tobe served as Chief Executive Officer of Expresso Guinea and also held business leadership positions at Ernst & Young and Coca-Cola, according to the company.

The company also stated that  Tobe has built a strong track record of driving business transformation and commercial growth across the continent.

Also Read: Airtel Reports Delays in Airtime and Data Bundle Purchases via M-PESA

Airtel Kenya Board further welcomed Tobe to his new role, saying his experience and leadership would help the company build on the momentum achieved over recent years.

“We welcome Djibril Tobe to his role and we are confident that his expertise will steer Airtel Kenya to the next level as we continue delivering innovative and relevant solutions. We would like to commend Ashish for his immense contribution to Airtel Kenya’s growth journey, and we wish him success in his new role,” the Board stated.

The Board added that it is confident Tobe will lead Airtel Kenya into its next phase of growth, innovation and customer-centric transformation while continuing to strengthen the company’s position in Kenya’s telecommunications sector.

Ashish Malhotra moves to Indus Towers Africa

He takes over from Ashish Malhotra, who has led Airtel Kenya for the past four years and will now serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa.

During his tenure, Malhotra oversaw one of the company’s most significant periods of expansion, helping position Airtel Kenya among the country’s fastest-growing telecommunications providers.

Also Read: 22,000 KCB Agents Now Available to Airtel Money Customers in New Partnership

Under his leadership, Airtel completed the largest network rollout in its history, deploying more than 2,000 sites to expand coverage and improve connectivity across the country.

The company said the expansion played a key role in advancing digital and financial inclusion.

In addition, Airtel Kenya also credited Malhotra with accelerating the growth of Airtel Money, whose market share increased from 2 % to 11 % over the past four years.

During the same period, the company doubled its revenues while growing its subscriber base from 16 million to more than 24 million customers.

Malhotra also spearheaded several customer-focused innovations, including the rollout of 5G services, eSIM technology, fibre connectivity solutions, Spam Alert services, and the Home & Office Smart Connect broadband platform.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for instant news updates.

A photo of Djibril Tobe. Photo/ Djibril Tobe