Airtel Kenya appoints Djibril Tobe as new Managing Director

Airtel Kenya has appointed Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, ushering in a new leadership chapter at the telecommunications firm as it seeks to build on recent gains in network expansion, digital services and financial inclusion.

The appointment was announced on Tuesday by the Board of Airtel Networks Kenya Limited. Tobe takes over from Ashish Malhotra, who has left the position to become Chief Executive Officer at Indus Towers Africa.

The company said Tobe joins the Kenyan operation with more than two decades of leadership experience gained across the telecommunications, fast-moving consumer goods and consulting industries in various African markets.

According to Airtel Kenya, he has built a strong record in driving business growth, transformation and commercial performance across the continent.

Before his appointment in Kenya, Tobe served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo B, a position he held from May 2023. He also previously led Airtel Chad as Managing Director and served as Commercial Director at Airtel Burkina Faso.

His professional background further includes a stint as Chief Executive Officer at Expresso Guinea, alongside leadership roles at Ernst & Young and Coca-Cola.

The leadership change comes as Airtel Kenya seeks to maintain the momentum achieved under Malhotra, who led the company through a period of rapid growth over the past four years.

During his tenure, Airtel Kenya carried out what it described as the largest network expansion programme in its history, deploying more than 2,000 sites to improve connectivity and support wider access to digital and financial services.

The company also reported strong growth in its mobile money business, with Airtel Money increasing its market share from 2 per cent to 11 per cent during the four-year period.

Over the same period, Airtel Kenya said it doubled its revenues while growing its customer base from 16 million subscribers to more than 24 million.

Several products and services were also introduced under Malhotra's leadership, including 5G connectivity, eSIM technology, fibre internet solutions, Spam Alert services and the Home & Office Smart Connect broadband platform.

Announcing the appointment, the Board expressed confidence that Tobe would build on the progress made and guide the company through its next stage of development.

"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 said it believes Tobe is well positioned to lead the company as it focuses on innovation, customer-focused transformation and continued expansion.

"The Board of Directors further expressed confidence that Djibril Tobe will lead Airtel Kenya into its next phase of growth, innovation, and customer-centric transformation, building on the strong momentum established over the past years."

Tobe assumes leadership as Airtel Kenya continues to expand its network coverage, strengthen its digital offerings and grow its financial services business in a bid to enhance connectivity and inclusion across the country.