Brands
Kaustubh Chandra bids farewell to Airtel Business as CMO
MUMBAI: Kaustubh Chandra, the chief marketing officer of Airtel Business, has called time on his nearly five-year stint with the telecom major, drawing the curtain on a chapter marked by growth, reinvention and a distinctly people-first approach.
Announcing his exit in a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Chandra reflected on what he described as a “beautiful” journey, stitched together by people, moments and shared wins. “This goodbye is tough,” he wrote, crediting his team as the real engine behind everything Airtel Business has built over the last five years. From shaping the brand’s voice to driving sustained growth, Chandra said the experience was less about titles and more about collective energy.
Chandra joined Airtel Business in June 2021 and rose to become CMO and head of the digital sales group, overseeing marketing, inside sales, sales operations and enablement under one integrated growth engine. His mandate stretched well beyond India, spanning Apac, the Americas and EMEA, with a focus on accelerating revenue and sharpening Airtel Business’ presence in competitive global markets.
During his tenure, Airtel Business expanded its B2B play across next-generation connectivity, cloud, security, IoT, data centres, CPaaS and 5G for enterprise. Chandra was also a strong advocate of marketing-led growth, blending automation, data-led decision-making and, more recently, generative AI to improve conversions, productivity and speed to market.
Equally central to his approach was culture. In his farewell note, Chandra thanked leaders and peers for creating space for authenticity, adding that Airtel’s ambition to be a trusted, customer-first brand was something he remained deeply proud of. “Airtel will always be special. Forever with pride, I am Airtel,” he wrote.
Before Airtel, Chandra held senior leadership roles at NTT, IBM and Religare Technologies, building a reputation as a marketer who speaks the language of revenue as fluently as brand storytelling. Industry recognition followed, including multiple marketing awards and listings among India’s top CMOs.
What’s next for Chandra remains under wraps. For now, he exits on a high, leaving behind a brand that speaks with clarity, confidence and scale. Sometimes, the strongest goodbyes are simply a sign that the work was done right.
Brands
IndiGo names William Walsh CEO
Former IATA chief to take charge in August after Elbers exit, Bhatia steers interim
India’s biggest airline has moved fast and gone global. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, has tapped aviation heavyweight William Walsh as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a sharp pivot as the carrier eyes its next burst of expansion.
Walsh, currently director general at the International Air Transport Association, will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take charge by August 3. The appointment comes barely three weeks after Pieter Elbers exited the corner office, with Rahul Bhatia holding the fort in the interim.
The choice signals intent. Walsh brings decades of cockpit-to-boardroom experience, having led British Airways and later International Airlines Group, the parent of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. His tenure across carriers has been defined by hard resets, restructurings and cross-border consolidation—skills IndiGo may need as competition intensifies and scale becomes decisive.
Vikram Singh Mehta, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, said Walsh’s experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him well-suited to lead IndiGo in an increasingly competitive global aviation environment, adding that the appointment marks a new chapter as the airline scales in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Rahul Bhatia said Walsh’s global perspective, operational expertise and customer-focused approach would be critical as IndiGo enters its next phase of expansion.
Walsh, widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential figures, will oversee overall management and strategic direction, with a mandate spanning operational performance, network expansion, commercial strategy and customer experience. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to sharpen IndiGo’s growth trajectory.
Walsh said IndiGo has a strong foundation and is well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving aviation landscape, adding that he looks forward to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and sustainable value creation across the organisation.
A new captain, a bigger runway—and a market that rewards scale. IndiGo is lining up for its next take-off.
