Akhil Gupta is Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and Executive Chairman, Bharti Infratel Ltd. He has been closely associated with various strategic, financial, mergers and acquisitions and business performance issues and transformational initiatives for the group.Akhil has played a pivotal role in Bharti’s phenomenal growth having been closely involved from the very beginning in the group’s the telecommunication services business. He has led the formation of various partnerships for Bharti with leading international companies and investors.Akhil has spearheaded several innovative initiatives that include the outsourcing deals undertaken by the group in the areas of information technology (IT), network management, outsourcing of Call Centres management and separation of tower infrastructure of Bharti Airtel and forming Indus Towers a Joint Venture with Vodafone and Idea, which has become the largest tower company in the world.He is currently Chairman of TAIPA (Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association of India) and President of TSSC (Telecom Sector Skill Council of India). Akhil represents the Indian telecom industry and Bharti regularly at various forums and seminars in India and abroad.He is a Chartered Accountant by qualification with over 30 years of professional experience, and attended an “Advanced Management Program” at Harvard Business School in 2002.Akhil Gupta has been awarded 'CEO of the Year' at the National Telecom Awards 2012. He was also honoured for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Telecom Sector’ by the industry’s leading telecom magazine – tele.net