Badal Bagri resigns as CFO of Airtel; Soumen Ray named new CFO

Bharti Airtel said Badal Bagri has resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the company to pursue other opportunities and that Soumen Ray has been appointed as new CFO with effect from December 21, 2021

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Friday said Badal Bagri has resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the company to pursue other opportunities and that Soumen Ray has been appointed as new CFO with effect from December 21, 2021.

Ray will report to Gopal Vittal, Managing Director, and CEO (India and South Asia) of Bharti Airtel, the company said in a statement.

Ray takes over from Badal Bagri, who has decided to move to pursue opportunities outside of Airtel, the statement added.

Ray is a Chartered Accountant with over 23 years of experience in Financial Planning, Management Accounting, Factory Commercial, Treasury, and Corporate Accounts. He will be joining Airtel from Bajaj Auto Ltd., where he is currently the Chief Financial Officer.

Commenting on Ray's appointment as the new CFO, Vittal said: We are delighted to have Soumen as part of the Airtel leadership team...I am confident his experience will add immense value to Airtel's exciting growth journey as the company transforms into a digital services provider."

In a regulatory filing, Airtel said "...we wish to inform you that on the recommendation of the HR and nomination committee, the board, in its meeting held today, has approved the appointment of Soumen Ray as the Chief Financial Officer (India and South Asia) and Key Managerial Personnel of the company with effect from December 21, 2021."

The appointment has also been approved by the audit committee of the company, the filing added.