Airtel Kenya has appointed Djibril Tobe as its new Managing Director, effective June 30, 2026, succeeding Ashish Malhotra.
Airtel Kenya’s former Managing Director will be serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa following her recent appointment.
“The Board of Airtel Networks Kenya Limited has appointed Djibril Tobe as the Managing Director of Airtel Kenya, succeeding Ashish Malhotra, who takes up a new role as the Chief Executive Officer of Indus Towers Africa,” a press release from Airtel Kenya dated June 30 read.
Under Malhotra, Airtel undertook the largest network rollout, with over 2,000 sites, driving progress in digital and financial inclusion.
Additionally, the former Managing Director championed the growth of Airtel Money, increasing its market share from 2% to 11% during his four-year tenure.
Airtel Kenya also doubled its revenues while expanding its subscriber base from 16 million to over 24 million customers under the leadership of Ashish Malhotra.
Rollout of 5G services, eSIM technology, fiber connectivity solutions, Spam Alert services, and the Home and Office Smart Connect broadband platform was also accomplished by Malhotra, according to Airtel.
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About Djibril Tobe
Tobe, the new Airtel Kenya Managing Director, has over 20 years of working experience in telecommunications and consulting sectors across African markets.
According to Airtel Kenya, the appointment of Djibril Tobe, the Senegalese business executive, will enable the company to grow through innovative solutions.
“We welcome Djibril Tobe to his role, and we are confident that his expertise will steer Airtel Kenya to the next level as we continue delivering innovative and relevant solutions,” the Airtel Board noted.
Before his appointment at Airtel Kenya, Tobe served as the Director General of Airtel Congo Brazzaville and as Managing Director at Airtel Chad.
At Airtel Chad, Tobe was the Managing Director from June 2016 to April 2023 and at Airtel Congo from May 2023 to 2026.
Career and Achievement
Apart from serving in senior positions in the telecommunications industry, Tobe worked as a financial auditor from September 1996 to June 1998 at the E&Y School of Excellence and Achievement.
Between 1998 and 2002, Tobe joined the Coca-Cola Company in Senegal, where he contributed to the increase in sales performance in his 4 years of service.
At the Coca-Cola Company, Tobe was involved in the launch of products such as Fanta flavors and the introduction of the “Spriteball” program.
Additionally, he trained and led the Bottling System Commercial team and the Quality System team at the company.
At the Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Tobe served as the senior operations manager for four years from Jan 2002, managing all the business operations of the company.
In Jan 2006, Tobe joined Celtel Burkina Faso, now Airtel, as Commercial Director until November 2006.
Further, Tobe served as the Chief Executive Officer of Expresso Telecom Group for 9 years.
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Educational Background
In addition to operational experience, Tobe has invested heavily in executive education and corporate governance training.
He holds a degree in Business Management from ISG Paris and has also studied at INSEAD, leading business schools.
In 2024, he completed INSEAD’s International Directors Program and later earned a Certificate in Corporate Governance in 2025.
Djibril Tobe is also certified as an Independent Director and holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from ISG Institut Supérieur de Gestion.
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