‘Islands are our way into Europe’

Friday 28th March 2008, 2:29PM GMT.

Sunil Bharti Mittal. (0555427)

GUERNSEY Airtel’s arrival has given its parent company a foot in the door to Europe, according to its chairman and CEO.

Sunil Bharti Mittal said he has his eyes firmly set on the Continent and that the Channel Islands provide the perfect stepping stone. Guernsey’s third telecoms operator went live on Wednesday – six months late having failed to meet two OUR deadlines.

‘Our delayed arrival has meant we have lost a few millions, but for me this is small in absolute terms,’ said Mr Mittal, 50. ‘Bharti Airtel is a $10.6bn company, so this is not the area that I’m worried about.’