Nairobi, Kenya – June 30, 2026 — Airtel Kenya has announced the appointment of Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, marking a leadership transition at the telecommunications company as it enters a new phase of growth and digital expansion.
Tobe takes over from Ashish Malhotra, who has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa after serving as Airtel Kenya’s Managing Director for the past four years.
The Board of Airtel Networks Kenya said Tobe’s extensive experience across telecommunications, fast-moving consumer goods and consulting sectors positions him to lead the company’s next phase of transformation and customer-focused growth.
Tobe brings more than two decades of leadership experience across several African markets. Before his appointment, he served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo B since May 2023.
He has previously held senior leadership positions within the Airtel Group, including Managing Director of Airtel Chad and Commercial Director at Airtel Burkina Faso.
Before joining Airtel, Tobe served as Chief Executive Officer of Expresso Guinea and held leadership roles at global consulting firm Ernst & Young and beverage multinational Coca-Cola.
The appointment comes after a period of significant growth for Airtel Kenya under Malhotra’s leadership.
During his tenure, Airtel Kenya expanded its network infrastructure with more than 2,000 sites rolled out, representing the company’s largest network expansion programme to date.
The company also recorded growth in its customer base, increasing subscribers from 16 million to more than 24 million.
Airtel Kenya said revenues doubled during the four-year period, while its mobile money service Airtel Money increased its market share from 2% to 11%.
Malhotra also oversaw the introduction and expansion of several digital and connectivity solutions, including 5G services, eSIM technology, fibre connectivity solutions, Spam Alert services and the Home & Office Smart Connect broadband platform.
The Airtel Kenya Board commended Malhotra for his contribution to the company’s growth journey and welcomed Tobe as the new leader.
“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.
The company said Tobe’s mandate will focus on strengthening innovation, expanding customer solutions and building on Airtel Kenya’s recent growth momentum in the competitive telecommunications sector.
Airtel Kenya is one of the leading mobile service providers in the country, offering mobile voice, data, SMS, enterprise solutions and mobile money services.
The company is part of Airtel Africa, which operates across 14 African markets following Bharti Airtel’s acquisition of Zain’s African operations in 2010.