Airtel Africa named Sunil Taldar as new CEO, Ogunsanya to retire in July Airtel Africa on Tuesday announced the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Olusegun `Segun’ Ogunsanya, with effect from July 1, 2024, and named Sunil Taldar as his successor. Taldar, who joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as Director – Transformation, will begin the transition to the CEO role, working alongside Ogunsanya. “Airtel Africa plc today announced the retirement of the Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun “Segun” Ogunsanya, with effect from 1 July, 2024,” the release said. Ogunsanya, who joined Airtel in 2012, ran the Nigeria operations of the telecommunications and mobile money company for nine years before being appointed as CEO of the group in 2021. “With local knowledge of the African landscape and deep distribution experience he led the company in maintaining double-digit revenue growth over many quarters and to deliver new, innovative products to its customers across the continent,” it said. Following his retirement from Airtel Africa plc, Ogunsanya will also be available to advise the Chairman, the Airtel Africa Board and Chief Executive Officer for a 12-month period. The company named Taldar as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer to succeed Ogunsanya on his retirement. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Airtel Africa said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Segun Ogansanya for his commitment and significant contribution to Airtel Africa plc as Chief Executive and before that as Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria, our largest market in Africa”. Mittal noted that Segun has agreed, to assume the new role as Chair of the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation post retirement, where he will bring his visionary leadership to this new philanthropic initiative to advance development and prosperity across Africa. According to Mittal, Taldar’s industry experience, strategic vision, constant customer focus and proven record of delivery will enable him to deliver the company’s strategic objectives and to lead the group in the next stages of its development.
Logistics, good or bad, are driven by the states and the commerce ministry has a LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) report, based on perceptions. The 2023 version was released in December. Since states are heterogenous, in the reporting, they are divided into four groups—coastal, landlocked, north-east, and UTs. States that do well are called achievers. Nomenclature matters. Thus, states that are middling aren’t called average. They are called fast movers. States that are sub-par are called aspirers. Let me highlight coastal states, since 75% of export cargo is estimated to originate from them. Among coastal states, ones that do well are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The ones that lag are Goa, Odisha, and West Bengal. While India’s logistics performance may have improved over time, that’s not true of every state. Some have slipped. Most states have a state-level logistics policy, including Goa and Odisha. West Bengal, bottom of the pecking order in the coastal category, doesn’t have one. To quote from LEADS 2023, “Looking ahead, the State (West Bengal) could benefit from formulating a State Logistics Master Plan and State Logistics Policy to drive efficiency improvements and facilitate investments within the logistics sector and undertake consultation with the logistics stakeholders for educating and informing them about the initiatives State is undertaking for the development and improvement of logistics sector.”
Logistics has been talked about for a long time and India has also focused on improving performance. We are now getting some precise data on measurement and quantification. That helps.
Bibek Debroy, chairman, EAC-PM. Views are personal.