As President – External Affairs, South Asia for AT&T, Mr. Bhatia, 41, is responsible for supporting AT&T’s overall corporate development, investment and business strategies. He bears direct responsibility for supporting AT&T’s businesses in the region as well as the corporate development group through advocacy andexternal / public affairs work.

Before his recent elevation to this regional assignment, he helped set up and served as the first Chairman of AT&T’s 74% owned JV in India from 2006 – 2008. AT&T, through this JV, is already India's largest enterprise services provider – serving more than 500 MNCs, many of them Fortune 500 companies and major Indian IT and ITeS / banking and corporations with global operations. With AT&T since 1994, he was involved with AT&T’s initial investment in the wireless business between 1995 and 2002 – in IDEA Cellular and BPL Mobile jointly.

He served as a part of the wireless team which helped build India's first mobile networks in Gujarat and Maharashtra in the mid 90’s. Has been closely involved with the drafting of the National Telecom Policy of 1999, the TRAI Act and telecom legislations in India. Has held several key positions with leadingindustry associations, including on the National Executive Board (4 terms)of the AMCHAM and as the current Vice-Chairman of the AMCHAM Board (2nd consecutive term). Earlier he has chaired AMCHAM’s Telecom Committee. He also serves on the National Executive Committee of FICCI in addition to chairing its Committee on Communications & Digital Economy 2008 – 09. Earlier, he co-chaired the FICCI’s FDI Forum and was the Industry Spokesperson for the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) while representing AT&T’s wireless JV in India from 1997 – 2005 in COAI. A keen student of Public Policy, Market Liberalization and Regulatory Reforms, Mr. Bhatia is an alumnus of the J.F. Kennedy School at the Harvard University in USA. He has also received advanced education at The Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Chicago.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. His spouse, Bhavna Bhatia, is a Senior Economist with the World Bank and they live in Delhi with their two daughters, Aastha (10) and Anika (4).