Shabnam Sinha Appointed Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank as Sunil Mittal Steps Down

Shabnam Sinha has been named the incoming Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank for a three-year term starting October 1, following regulatory approval. She succeeds Sunil Bharti Mittal, whose tenure concludes on September 30, 2026.

NEW DELHI — Airtel Payments Bank Ltd announced on Monday that Shabnam Sinha will take over as the Chairperson of the company, succeeding Sunil Bharti Mittal. Mittal will conclude his tenure as Non-Executive Chairman and step down from the Board, effective September 30, 2026.

Sinha is set to assume her new role for a three-year term beginning October 1, pending approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). She currently serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Airtel Payments Bank. In her current capacity, she chairs the Special Committee of the Board for Monitoring Frauds and participates as a member of the Risk Management and IT Committees.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, who serves as the Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was initially appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of Airtel Payments Bank in April 2016. During his leadership tenure, the institution scaled its operations to become India’s largest payments bank by revenue, establishing a presence across both consumer and enterprise segments.

According to company data, Airtel Payments Bank currently serves over 121 million monthly active users and nearly 30 million bank account customers. This user base is supported through the Airtel Thanks App and a distribution network comprising over five lakh banking points, enabling the bank to reach three out of every four villages across India.

Additionally, the company has grown to become India's second-largest mobile bank and UPI Autopay player, playing a key role in expanding access to formal banking services throughout the country.

Reflecting on his tenure, Mittal stated that the institution successfully built one of the country's largest banking networks, brought underserved communities into formal banking, and delivered a safe, digital-first experience.

"Leadership transitions in regulated financial institutions like Airtel Payments Bank mark an important phase of institutional maturity. Under Sunil Mittal's tenure, the bank achieved significant scale and rural penetration, establishing itself as a major player in India's digital payments landscape. As Shabnam Sinha steps into the role of Chairperson following RBI approval, the continuity provided by her prior board experience in risk management and fraud monitoring will be critical in guiding the bank through its next operational phase." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes