Indosat consolidates marketing and commercial strategy under new chief growth officer

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison has appointed Apoorva Mehrotra (pictured) as chief growth officer, consolidating its commercial, branding, and marketing functions under a single leadership role as the company sharpens its push towards AI-led growth.

The newly created position effectively absorbs the responsibilities of the chief marketing officer role, which has remained vacant since the departure of Vivek Mehendiratta earlier this year to join Singtel. However, the remit extends well beyond traditional marketing, signalling a broader integration of growth levers across the business.

Mehrotra will oversee Indosat’s corporate brand alongside its key product brands, including IM3, as well as marketing campaigns, communications, and partnerships. His scope also spans commercial strategy across all B2C lines, covering product development, pricing, segmentation, and the broader mobile growth agenda.

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The move reflects a structural shift in how Indosat is aligning brand, customer strategy, and revenue generation – bringing previously distinct functions into a single growth-focused command.

A growth mandate tied to performance momentum

The appointment comes as Indosat reports strong financial and operational momentum in early 2026. In the first quarter, the telco recorded its highest-ever quarterly revenue at IDR 15.2 trillion (US$871 million), up 12% year-on-year, alongside a 13% rise in EBITDA and a 26% increase in net profit.

Growth has been driven by its core mobile business, with blended ARPU rising 15% year-on-year and data traffic increasing by over 25%, underpinned by the company’s AI-driven hyper-personalisation strategy. This approach leverages data to deliver more tailored customer experiences, from flexible data offerings to more intuitive digital touchpoints.

“Our strong start to the year reflects the consistency of our strategy and our focus on delivering real value to customers. AI hyper-personalisation allows us to be more relevant in every interaction, and that is translating into stronger engagement, enriched customer experience, and sustainable growth. Through the spirit of #LebihBaikIndosat, we remain committed to continuously improving how we serve our customers and empowering them in their digital lives,” said Vikram Sinha, president director and CEO.

The company has also continued to invest in its digital ecosystem, including expanding its 5G network, scaling its Sahabat-AI large language model, and strengthening infrastructure through platforms such as NeoCloud and fibre partnerships.

From CMO to CGO: a structural signal

Mehrotra’s appointment signals a deeper evolution in Indosat’s operating model – from a traditional telco marketing structure to a more integrated, growth-centric framework aligned with its “AI North Star” ambition.

The company has been repositioning itself as an AI-native organisation, embedding artificial intelligence across operations while expanding into adjacent areas such as cloud, cybersecurity, and AI platforms. Within this context, consolidating marketing, product, and commercial strategy under a single leader reflects a need for tighter orchestration across the customer lifecycle.

With more than 25 years of experience across Asia and Africa, Mehrotra brings a track record in telecoms transformation, having held senior roles at Airtel and Vodafone, including regional CEO for East Africa at Airtel Africa.

In a previous LinkedIn post marking his departure from Africa, Mehrotra reflected on the region’s influence on his leadership approach, highlighting values such as respect, humility, and trust, alongside a strong culture of ambition and collective responsibility.

Board reshuffle reinforces leadership transition

The leadership change forms part of a broader governance update approved at Indosat’s annual general meeting of shareholders. Alongside Mehrotra, Reski Damayanti and Honesti Basyir were appointed to the board of directors.

At the same time, the company approved the honourable dismissal of Ahmad Zulfikar from his role as director and Achmad Syah Reza as commissioner.

The reshuffle comes as Indosat positions itself for its next phase of growth, with a strategy centred on scaling its AI capabilities, deepening customer engagement, and building a full-stack digital ecosystem.

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