Sunitha Simon signs off from Bharti Airtel after a 16-year communications journey

MUMBAI: Sunitha Simon has bid farewell to Bharti Airtel after more than 16 years with the telecom major, marking the end of a long stint during which she led communications for several of the company’s biggest product launches and brand campaigns.

Simon announced her departure in a LinkedIn post, describing Airtel as her “heartbeat, hustle and home” over the past 16.6 years. She reflected on helping shape communications around key milestones, from the rollout of 3G and 5G services to the company’s partnership with Apple, the launch of its AI-powered offerings and what she described as the world’s first spam protection solution.

Most recently, Simon served as general manager, communications lead (B2C), a role she took up in June 2022. She spearheaded integrated communications for Airtel’s consumer business, overseeing national media strategy, brand visibility and stakeholder engagement.

Among her notable achievements were leading the communications strategy for Airtel’s nationwide 5G rollout, the launch of India’s first free AI tool for telecom customers, and the global rollout of the company’s spam protection solution.

Before that, Simon was national communications lead for Homes and DTH, where she drove media outreach and thought leadership for Airtel’s broadband and television businesses. Earlier roles included heading communications across South and East India, where she led campaigns around the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon, partnerships with films such as Baahubali, and regional brand initiatives.

She joined Airtel in 2010 as a senior executive in corporate communications for the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh telecom circle and steadily rose through the ranks, eventually becoming one of the company’s senior communications leaders.

Prior to Airtel, Simon held communications roles at CFCA and Nandan Biomatrix, and began her career as a radio jockey and content programmer. She also completed a postgraduate programme in marketing from the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.

In her farewell message, Simon thanked colleagues, the media, friends and family for their support throughout her journey, adding that while her “recharge ends here”, the “signal bars of gratitude and belonging will forever stay full”.

Neither Simon nor Airtel has announced her next professional move. Her departure comes after a career spent shaping the public narrative around some of India’s biggest telecom milestones, leaving behind a communications legacy that evolved alongside the country’s digital transformation.