The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has elected Marten Pieters, Vodafone India's chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director as the chairman of the industry body for 2014-15. Pieters, takes charge from Himanshu Kapania, MD, Idea Cellular who served as the chairman of COAI during 2012-13 and was re-elected during 2013-14. During these two years, Pieters was serving as COAI’s vice chairman. He has over three decades of experience in global and domestic markets and has been heading Vodafone India since February 2009.

COAI has also appointed Bharti Airtel's CEO and MD (India and South Asia) Gopal Vittal as the vice chairman. Vittal has over 25 years of experience in the telecom and consumer goods (FMCG) industries.

The industry body has also designated its executive council for the new term at the meeting.

Pieters, in his address as the new Chairman of COAI stated that, “In the recent past, India’s growth story fuelled by the telecom sector has been going through a challenging policy and regulatory environment. While the Industry is witnessing low profit margins, primarily due to high debt paid to finance 3G & BWA auction held couple of years ago, the sector also underwent a series of unprecedented events and policy reversals. After years of uncertainty and policy paralysis, we are expecting a definitive roadmap for the telecom sector from the new government in the Centre.”