Airtel to make Nairobi its Africa Head office

President Mwai Kibaki with the CEO  of Bharti Airtel International, Manoj Kohli (second left) at his Harambee House Office, Nairobi.

NAIROBI, (KWP) - President Mwai Kibaki today at his Harambee House office met and held discussions with the Chief Executive Officer and joint Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Mr. Manoj Kohli who paid him a courtesy call.


Mr. Kohli, who heads the Bharti Airtel international Business Group, briefed the President on the company’s plans to relocate him to Nairobi to run the Africa business after successful acquisition of Zain Africa assets last year.
The Airtel CEO said Bharti was optimistic that the strength of its brand and the historical India connect with Africa will enable the company to unlock the potential of emerging markets.
Mr. Kohli expressed his company’s commitment to partner with the Kenya government and other governments in the African countries of jurisdiction to bridge the digital divide and take affordable telecom services to the remotest geographies.
As part of its business strategy in Kenya and Africa, the CEO noted, Bharti Airtel will develop local human capital to empower the local operations.
Mr. Kohli said that in additional to Airtel Africa head office in Nairobi, its strategic partners are also planning to set up new offices and expand the existing ones in the Kenyan capital.
In response, the President welcomed the decision by Bharti Airtel Mobile Phone Company to establish its Africa Head office in Kenya.
President Kibaki reassured the company and other potential investors of the government’s commitment in guaranteeing an enabling environment to do business in Kenya.
The talks were attended by Information and Communications Minister Samuel Poghisio among other senior government officials. Mr Kohli was accompanied by the Airtel Kenya Managing Director Rene Meza and the Chief Executive Officer, Anglophone Mr. Jayant Khosia.
Zain sold its Africa African business excluding its operations in Morocco and the Sudan to Bharti Airtel on June 8th last year.
Source:PPS