New Delhi, Apr 20 (IANS): After stepping down as non-executive director and non-executive chairman of Vodafone Idea almost two years ago, Kumar Mangalam Birla has been appointed as an additional director on the board of directors of the mobile network operator.

"The board of directors of the company has, at its meeting held today, appointed Kumar Mangalam Birla as an additional director (non-executive and non-independent) with effect from April 20, 2023," Vodafone Idea said in a stock exchange filing.

Kumar Mangalam Birla is the Chairman of the multinational Aditya Birla Group, which operates in 36 countries across six continents.

He is a chartered accountant and holds an MBA degree from the the London Business School. In the 27+ years that he has been at the helm of the Aditya Birla Group (ABG), he has accelerated growth, built meritocracy and enhanced stakeholder value. In the process, he has raised the ABG's turnover by 30 times.

He has been the architect of over 40 acquisitions in India and globally, among the highest by any Indian multinational. Under his stewardship, the Aditya Birla Group enjoys a position of leadership in all the major sectors in which it operates - from cement to chemicals, metals to textiles and fashion to financial services - the company said.

Birla had stepped down as non-executive director and non-executive chairman of the board of Vodafone Idea on August 4, 2021.