Srini Gopalan

Srini Gopalan
Born	Srinivasan Gopalan born 1970
Nationality	British
Occupation	Business executive
Title	President and CEO of T-Mobile US (since November 2025)
Known for	CEO of T-Mobile US
Education	Post Graduate Diploma in Management (IIM Ahmedabad)

Srinivasan "Srini" Gopalan (born 1970) is a British business executive of Indian origin who serves as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of T-Mobile US, the second-largest wireless carrier in the United States. Gopalan assumed the role on November 1, 2025, succeeding Mike Sievert, who transitioned to the position of executive chairman. Before becoming CEO, Gopalan served as T-Mobile US's chief operating officer (COO) and had spent several years on the board of management of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's majority parent company, where he led the company's operations in Germany and Europe. His career in the telecommunications industry has spanned leadership roles at Vodafone and Bharti Airtel, giving him extensive experience across multiple continents and market environments. Educated at St. Stephen's College in Delhi and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Gopalan's appointment to lead T-Mobile US placed him among a growing number of executives of Indian origin heading major American corporations.

Early Life

Srini Gopalan was born in 1970 in India. He attended Delhi Public School before pursuing higher education. Gopalan grew up in India during a period when the country's telecommunications sector was still nascent and largely state-controlled, a context that would later inform his understanding of emerging markets when he took on leadership roles in the global telecom industry. He holds British citizenship.

Details about Gopalan's family background and early childhood are limited in publicly available sources. His educational trajectory from Delhi Public School to St. Stephen's College and then to one of India's premier business schools suggests an academically oriented upbringing. Following the completion of his education in India, Gopalan built his career internationally, eventually settling in Europe and later the United States through his various corporate assignments.

Education

Gopalan completed his undergraduate education at St. Stephen's College, which is a constituent college of the University of Delhi, one of India's most prestigious institutions of higher learning. He subsequently obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad), one of India's foremost business schools and among the most selective graduate programs in the country. IIM Ahmedabad has produced a notable number of chief executives of major global companies, and Gopalan's appointment at T-Mobile US added to this list. His educational background in management provided the foundation for a career that would take him through several of the world's largest telecommunications companies.

Career

Bharti Airtel

Early in his career, Gopalan worked at Bharti Airtel, one of India's largest telecommunications companies. This experience gave him exposure to the rapidly growing Indian telecom market during a transformative period for the industry in the country. Specific details about his tenure at Bharti Airtel, including his exact role and dates, are not extensively documented in available sources, but the position provided him with foundational experience in mobile telecommunications in one of the world's largest and most competitive markets.

Vodafone

Gopalan spent a significant portion of his career at Vodafone, one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. During his time at Vodafone, he gained extensive international experience and held senior leadership positions within the organization. His tenure at Vodafone helped establish his reputation as a telecom executive with cross-market expertise, having worked across different geographies and business environments within the company's global operations. The experience at Vodafone was instrumental in positioning Gopalan for subsequent leadership roles at Deutsche Telekom.

Deutsche Telekom

Gopalan joined Deutsche Telekom, the German telecommunications giant and majority owner of T-Mobile US. He was appointed to Deutsche Telekom's board of management, initially serving as the board member responsible for the company's European operations. In this capacity, he oversaw Deutsche Telekom's business across multiple European markets, managing diverse regulatory environments, competitive landscapes, and customer bases.

He subsequently took on responsibility for Deutsche Telekom's Germany segment, leading the company's operations in its home market, which is one of the largest telecommunications markets in Europe. Deutsche Telekom's German business encompasses fixed-line, broadband, and mobile services for both consumers and enterprise customers. Gopalan's role on the board of management placed him at the center of the company's strategic decision-making during a period of significant transformation in the European telecom sector, marked by increasing convergence of services, fiber network expansion, and 5G rollouts.

His leadership at Deutsche Telekom was characterized by a focus on operational continuity and strategic development. The company's board acknowledged his contribution through its decisions regarding management continuity. The years at Deutsche Telekom gave Gopalan direct insight into T-Mobile's corporate culture, strategy, and parent-company relationship, which would prove directly relevant when he transitioned to the U.S. business.

T-Mobile US: Chief Operating Officer

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Gopalan served as the chief operating officer (COO) of T-Mobile US. In this role, he was responsible for the company's day-to-day operations and worked closely with then-CEO Mike Sievert to execute the company's strategic initiatives. The COO position at one of America's largest wireless carriers entailed oversight of network operations, customer experience, and commercial activities across a subscriber base of tens of millions.

His transition from Deutsche Telekom's European operations to T-Mobile US represented a move from the parent company's headquarters in Bonn to the American subsidiary's base. The COO role served as a period of transition during which Gopalan familiarized himself more deeply with the competitive dynamics of the U.S. wireless market, which differs substantially from European markets in terms of market structure, pricing models, and consumer behavior.

T-Mobile US: Chief Executive Officer

On September 22, 2025, T-Mobile US announced that Gopalan would succeed Mike Sievert as president and CEO, effective November 1, 2025. Sievert transitioned to the role of executive chairman of T-Mobile's board of directors. The announcement was covered by major financial outlets including Reuters, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal, reflecting the significance of the leadership change at one of America's largest telecommunications companies.

Gopalan's appointment as CEO came with a base salary of $1.4 million. The Wall Street Journal described him as a "telecom veteran" in its coverage of the appointment, reflecting his decades of experience across multiple major telecommunications companies.

In the weeks before formally taking office, Gopalan made public remarks addressing the competitive landscape in the U.S. wireless market. In an October 2025 interview, he responded to comments from rival AT&T, stating that the competitor was "taking potshots" because it was "under pressure," while emphasizing T-Mobile's commitment to transparency, growth, and potential future acquisitions. These comments signaled a continuation of T-Mobile's competitive posture in the market, a stance that had become associated with the company under the leadership of previous CEOs John Legere and Mike Sievert.

After taking office, Gopalan continued to articulate strategic positions on key industry issues. In early 2026, he publicly addressed the question of a potential mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, stating that such an arrangement did not fit T-Mobile's criteria for MVNO deals. This statement was notable given T-Mobile's existing partnership with SpaceX for satellite-to-cell technology, indicating that while the companies maintained a cooperative relationship in some areas, Gopalan was drawing clear boundaries around the commercial terms of that partnership.

Gopalan has also spoken publicly about T-Mobile's culture-driven approach to growth and the evolving role of connectivity and artificial intelligence in the telecommunications industry. In a 2026 episode of T. Rowe Price's "The Angle" podcast, he discussed these themes, reflecting on the competitive landscape and T-Mobile's strategic direction under his leadership.

As CEO, Gopalan leads a company that is the second-largest wireless carrier in the United States by subscriber count, competing primarily with AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile US had undergone a major transformation in the preceding decade through its "Un-carrier" strategy and its 2020 merger with Sprint Corporation, and Gopalan's leadership represents the next phase in the company's evolution.

Personal Life

Gopalan holds British citizenship. He was born in India and educated in Delhi and Ahmedabad before building his career internationally across India, Europe, and the United States. His appointment as CEO of T-Mobile US placed him among a notable group of executives of Indian origin leading major American technology and telecommunications companies, a trend that has received significant media coverage in both the United States and India.

His appointment occurred during a period of heightened public discussion in the United States about immigration policy, particularly regarding the H-1B visa program, which is commonly used by skilled workers from India. The Times of India noted that Gopalan's ascension to the T-Mobile CEO role took place "amid H-1B clampdown" discussions, situating his appointment within a broader narrative about the role of Indian-origin professionals in American business leadership.

Gopalan maintains a presence on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Recognition

Gopalan's appointment as CEO of T-Mobile US received substantial international media attention, particularly in India, where his educational background at St. Stephen's College and IIM Ahmedabad was highlighted as part of the country's contribution to global business leadership. The Indian Express noted his Delhi Public School background and placed him within a broader group of Indian-origin CEOs leading major U.S. corporations.

His selection to appear on T. Rowe Price's "The Angle" podcast in 2026, a platform featuring conversations with business leaders about industry trends and strategy, reflected his standing as a prominent figure in the U.S. telecommunications sector.

Coverage of his appointment spanned major global financial publications including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Reuters, as well as industry-focused outlets such as Fierce Network, Channel Futures, and Business Chief, and major Indian news outlets including The Times of India, The Economic Times, and The Indian Express.