In Short:
Mats Granryd, the Director-general of GSMA, will step down in March 2025 after 9 years in the role. He will become a Special Advisor to the Board. During his tenure, he led the roll-out of 2G and 4G in India, and advocated for mobile industry commitments to sustainable development goals. GSMA’s Board will plan for his succession. Granryd joined GSMA in 2015 and has been key in driving industry initiatives like 5G and AI.
Director-General of GSMA to Step Down in March 2025
Mats Granryd, the Director-general of the GSM Association (GSMA), will be stepping down from his role in March 2025, as announced by the London-based telco industry body on Monday. Granryd, who has served for nine years in the position and had two contract extensions, has decided not to extend his tenure further. He will transition to a new role as Special Advisor to the Board for the remainder of 2025.
Granryd joined the GSMA in 2015 and his tenure has been marked by significant achievements in the telecoms industry, including the roll-out of 2G in India and 4G with substantial subscriber growth during his time as CEO of Tele2. He has also been instrumental in driving the digitisation of various services, the potential of 5G technology, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry.
The GSMA, representing 750 telecom carriers including India’s Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, acknowledged Granryd’s leadership in committing the industry to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), navigating through COVID challenges, enhancing the association’s influence, and spearheading industry initiatives like Open Gateway and reducing gender disparities in coverage and usage.
The GSMA board will now work on a well-established plan for succession to ensure a smooth transition.
