Managing Directors, Country Heads, Heads of 5G Solutions, Heads of Product and Heads of Manufacturing for telecom-equipment OEMs, 5G-solution vendors and Make-in-India network-equipment manufacturers.
Telecom Equipment & 5G
Executive Search
20+ Telecom Equipment Placements — with an average 96 Days time-to-placement and a 12-month candidate guarantee.
20+
Telecom Equipment Placements
96 Days
Avg. Time-to-Placement
89%
Offer Acceptance Rate
12 Months
Candidate Guarantee
Specialisation withinTelecommunications·Connecting the World
India's telecom-equipment and 5G-solutions ecosystem — Ericsson India, Nokia India, Samsung Networks, Cisco India, Ciena India, Tejas Networks (Tata-owned), HFCL, VVDN Technologies, Sterlite Technologies (STL), Signaltron, C-DOT, Sanmina India, Foxconn-backed manufacturing — anchors the country's 5G rollout (India-Stack telecom equipment, RAN, Core, transport, FTTH optical, routers, small cells) and the PLI-scheme-led push for Make-in-India network-equipment manufacturing.
Is This Your Situation?
If any of these sound familiar, you're speaking to the right practice.
→A global-OEM India arm needs a Country Head to rebuild revenue momentum with Tier-1 MNO accounts
→An indigenous telecom-equipment player seeks a CTO to lead Open-RAN / vRAN product roadmap and export pivot
→A PLI-beneficiary OEM needs a Head of Manufacturing to scale 5G gear production from ₹500 Cr to ₹4,000 Cr
→A mid-sized equipment vendor requires a Head of Private 5G to unlock enterprise / mining / manufacturing / port verticals
Our Telecom Equipment & 5G Track Record
Situation:
An indigenous telecom OEM sought a CTO to lead Open-RAN / vRAN roadmap and export pivot.
Outcome:
Placed a candidate with global-OEM-IP and academic-interface credibility in 112 days; first export-market win landed in 14 months.
Situation:
A global OEM's India arm needed a Country Head to rebuild Tier-1 MNO revenue and 5G-order-book momentum.
Outcome:
Placed a candidate from a competing global OEM in 98 days; 5G order book grew 42% in 12 months.
All client details anonymised. Specific mandates available for reference under NDA upon request.
Our Telecom Equipment & 5G Practice
India's telecom-equipment and 5G-solutions ecosystem — Ericsson India, Nokia India, Samsung Networks, Cisco India, Ciena India, Tejas Networks (Tata-owned), HFCL, VVDN Technologies, Sterlite Technologies (STL), Signaltron, C-DOT, Sanmina India, Foxconn-backed manufacturing — anchors the country's 5G rollout (India-Stack telecom equipment, RAN, Core, transport, FTTH optical, routers, small cells) and the PLI-scheme-led push for Make-in-India network-equipment manufacturing.
The sector demands leaders who can scale indigenous RAN / Core / Open-RAN stacks, win PLI-scheme compliance, deliver Make-in-India export platforms and run enterprise 5G / private-5G go-to-market. Gladwin places MDs, Country Heads, Heads of 5G Solutions, Heads of RAN / Core / Transport, Heads of Product, Heads of Manufacturing and CTOs for telecom-equipment OEMs and domestic-equipment challengers.
As a specialist MD / Country Head mandates in telecom equipment, our practice also covers CTO placements in indigenous OEMs, our practice also covers Telecommunications practice overview, and as a source for Luxury Goods — luxury fashion & apparel.
The Telecom Equipment & 5G Landscape Today
The Indian telecom-equipment market — led by Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Cisco, Ciena and challenged by Tejas Networks (Tata), HFCL, STL and VVDN — is being reshaped by 5G SA rollout, Open-RAN, PLI scheme for telecom and networking products (₹12,195 Cr outlay), BharatNet Phase III fibre rollout and private-5G licensing. Indigenous-manufacturing expansion and export pivots are generating strong CXO demand.
Key Leadership Challenges in Telecom Equipment & 5G
Competing in RAN / Core / Transport / Optical with global OEMs while navigating trusted-source directives and PLI-scheme compliance
Scaling Open-RAN, vRAN and cloud-native 5G stacks for Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL and private-5G enterprises
Driving Make-in-India manufacturing expansion and export-market development for Tejas, HFCL, STL, VVDN, Sanmina-led platforms
Winning BharatNet / BSNL 4G / 5G and large-enterprise private-5G mandates in highly regulated procurement cycles
Attracting Heads of 5G Products, CTOs and Heads of Manufacturing from global OEMs while retaining indigenous-IP talent
Navigating National-Security-Directive Trusted-Source framework for telecom procurement
What We Look For in Telecom Equipment & 5G Leaders
Across mandates, telecom equipment & 5g leadership tends to cluster into a small set of archetypes. We calibrate each search against the profile your board actually needs — not the one most commonly available.
The Telecom-OEM MD
A country-head-class leader with MNO-relationship depth, large-deal-closing discipline and indigenous-partnership fluency.
The 5G-Solutions Head
A 5G-solutions leader with RAN / Core / Transport architecture depth, SA / NSA rollout experience and Open-RAN vision.
The Indigenous-OEM CTO
A CTO with indigenous-IP development credibility, C-DOT / IIT / BITS ecosystem fluency and export-market product architecture.
The Customer-Business Head
A CBT leader with Jio / Airtel / Vi / BSNL account-ownership experience, ₹1,000 Cr+ deal discipline and competitive-bid command.
The PLI-Manufacturing Head
A manufacturing leader with ESDM / EMS depth, PLI-compliance stewardship and export-capacity-build credibility.
The Private-5G / Enterprise Head
A private-5G / enterprise-solutions leader with manufacturing / port / mining / defence go-to-market fluency and TSDSI / 3GPP-standards depth.
Regulatory & Compensation Context
Regulatory Backdrop
Telecommunications Act 2023 and Indian Telegraph Act 1885; National Security Directive on Telecommunications Sector (Trusted Source / Trusted Product framework via the National Cyber Security Coordinator); DoT Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC) mandatory testing and MTCTE certification; PLI Scheme for Telecom and Networking Products (₹12,195 Cr, MeitY / DoT administered); Semicon India Programme for DLI-linked telecom-chip R&D; DoT Spectrum Licensing for private-5G captive-non-public networks; BharatNet procurement norms; Ministry of Defence / DRDO procurement rules; WPC frequency authorisation; Consumer Protection Act 2019; Legal Metrology Act 2009; FDI policy (Press Note 3 scrutiny for border-country investors in telecom equipment); FEMA; Competition Act 2002; GST and customs (BCD on telecom equipment); BIS certification; CERT-In directives; DPDP Act 2023.
Compensation Architecture
Telecom-OEM MDs / Country Heads: ₹8–25 Cr fixed + STI + ESOP; Heads of 5G Solutions: ₹5–12 Cr + STI; Heads of Customer Business Teams: ₹4–9 Cr + large-deal STI; CTOs (Indigenous OEM): ₹4.5–10 Cr + ESOP; Heads of Product / R&D: ₹3.5–7.5 Cr; Heads of Manufacturing (PLI): ₹3.5–8 Cr; Heads of Private 5G / Enterprise: ₹3.5–7 Cr; Heads of Government Business: ₹3–7 Cr.
Roles We Typically Place
Why Gladwin International Leadership Advisors for Telecom Equipment & 5G
Placed MDs, Country Heads, Heads of 5G Solutions and Heads of Customer Business Teams at Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Cisco, Ciena and Tejas Networks
Deep coverage of Heads of RAN, Core, Transport, Optical and Microwave at telecom-OEM and indigenous-challenger platforms
Executive-search expertise for Heads of Private 5G, Heads of Enterprise Solutions and Heads of PLI Manufacturing and Operations
Strong track record placing CTOs, Heads of R&D and Heads of Product for Tejas, HFCL, STL, VVDN, Signaltron and C-DOT interfaces
Leadership talent for Heads of BSNL / BharatNet / Defence-Communications-Procurement relationships and Heads of Government Business
Confidential succession mandates for ESDM-EMS partners (Foxconn, Dixon, Sanmina) manufacturing 5G / networking equipment under PLI
Board and advisory-director searches for listed Indian telecom-equipment players and PE / SI / sovereign-fund-backed challengers
Organisations We Serve
Ericsson India
Nokia India
Samsung Networks India
Cisco India / Ciena India
Tejas Networks (Tata)
HFCL
Sterlite Technologies (STL)
VVDN Technologies / Signaltron / C-DOT
Telecom Equipment & 5G leaders assessed on the Telecom “SIGNAL” framework
Seven dimensions calibrated for telecommunications leadership. Dimensions are calibrated for telecom equipment & 5g mandates where relevant.
Parent Practice
Return to Telecommunications
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