Airtel Kenya has announced the appointment of Djibril Tobe as the new Managing Director of Airtel Networks Kenya Limited, effective 1st July 2026. He succeeds Ashish Malhotra, who has taken up a new role as Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Limited Africa.
Tobe brings over two decades of high-impact leadership experience across Africa’s telecommunications and FMCG sectors, making him a strategic fit to drive Airtel Kenya’s next phase of growth and innovation in a highly competitive market.
Most recently, Tobe served as Managing Director of Airtel Congo B, where he led overall business operations. Prior to that, he held the same position at Airtel Chad for nearly seven years, delivering strong performance across commercial and operational fronts.
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His impressive track record dates back to his time as CEO of Expresso in Guinea, where he transformed a small greenfield post-paid operator into a credible market player,growing market share significantly despite intense competition from larger incumbents.
Earlier in his career, Tobe served as Commercial Director at Celtel Burkina Faso (now Airtel), where he delivered impressive subscriber and revenue growth while pioneering several key innovations that became flagship successes for the group.
Before fully transitioning into telecoms, Tobe built a strong foundation in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. As Senior Operations Manager for Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company, he oversaw operations across nine countries in Equatorial Africa, achieving remarkable sales growth and successfully launching Dasani bottled water across the continent. He also held leadership roles with The Coca-Cola Company in Senegal.
A respected business leader known for his ability to drive transformation, develop talent, and deliver results in complex markets, Tobe’s appointment signals Airtel Kenya’s commitment to strengthening local execution with deep pan-African expertise.
