03 Jul 2019
Naspers appoints Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa as CEO, South Africa
- Naspers creates new executive position to lead Naspers’ activities in South Africa
- Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa to join the Naspers management team as CEO, South Africa
- Responsibilities include leadership of Naspers’ flagship South African units, Naspers Foundry and Naspers Labs
Today, Naspers announces the appointment of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa to the global Naspers management team as CEO, South Africa. Reporting directly to Bob van Dijk, Group CEO of Naspers, Phuthi will be based in Johannesburg where she will lead the group’s day-to-day business in South Africa and represent its interests in-country. She will also be responsible for Naspers’ recently announced units, Naspers Foundry and Naspers Labs, which are designed to help stimulate the South African tech sector and tackle youth unemployment, respectively.
Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the South African technology sector and is committed to building its existing internet and ecommerce companies in the country, as well as stimulating the local tech start-up sector through the Naspers Foundry. This is a R1.4 billion investment commitment targeting technology start-ups in South Africa that seek to address big societal needs. This is in addition to the commitment Naspers made in October 2018 at the inaugural South Africa Investment Conference to inject a further R3.2 billion into its existing South African businesses over three years, which is already underway.
Phuthi joins Naspers from her Executive Chairperson role at Sigma Capital, a privately held, majority-black owned investment group based in South Africa.
Bob van Dijk, Group CEO, Naspers, said:
“Phuthi is a seasoned leader with a strong track record of achievement throughout her career. Her significant investor and board experience across varied sectors, makes Phuthi the perfect match for this important role at Naspers.”
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO South Africa, Naspers, added:
“I am thrilled to be joining Naspers at such a pivotal time for the group and for South Africa and look forward to adding value to the group in realising its strategy in South Africa.”
Naspers Labs
Naspers Labs is the pilot of a social impact initiative that Naspers has designed in partnership with Marlon Parker, the founder of RLabs, to develop the skills and talent of South Africa’s unemployed youth. Naspers Labs participants benefit from an individually tailored online and offline development programme delivered in youth cafes that are located at the heart of impoverished communities. Naspers has committed R50 million to the pilot in 2019, on top of the R15 million invested in 2018, and four pilot labs will be up and running by the end of this financial year with plans in place to scale the programme further subject to the success of the pilots. More information on Naspers Labs is available at https://nasperslabs.org.
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For more information contact:
Shamiela Letsoalo
Media Relations, South Africa
+27 78 802 6310
[email protected]
About Naspers
Naspers is a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Operating and investing in countries and markets across the world with long-term growth potential, Naspers builds leading companies that empower people and enrich communities. The group operates and partners a number of leading internet businesses across Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia in sectors including online classifieds, payments and fintech, food delivery, travel, education, health, and social and internet platforms.
Every day, millions of people use the products and services of companies that Naspers has invested in, acquired or built, including Avito, Brainly, BYJU’S, Codecademy, eMAG, Honor, ibibo, iFood, letgo, Media24, Movile, OLX, PayU, SimilarWeb, Swiggy, Takealot, and Udemy.
Similarly, hundreds of millions of people have made the platforms of its associates a part of their daily lives: Tencent (www.tencent.com; SEHK 00700), Mail.ru (www.corp.mail.ru; LSE: MAIL), MakeMyTrip Limited¹ (www.makemytrip.com; NASDAQ:MMYT) and DeliveryHero (www.deliveryhero.com; Xetra: DHER)
Today, Naspers companies and associates help improve the lives of around a fifth of the world’s population. Naspers actively searches for new opportunities to partner exceptional entrepreneurs who are using technology to address big societal needs.
Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ) and a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa, and has an ADR listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: NPSN).
For more information, please visit www.naspers.com
About Naspers
Established in 1915, Naspers has transformed itself to become a global consumer internet company and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Through Prosus, the group operates and invests globally in markets with long-term growth potential, building leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. Prosus has its primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam, and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Naspers is the majority owner of Prosus.
In South Africa, Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the technology sector and is committed to building its internet and ecommerce companies. These include Takealot, Mr D Food, Superbalist, Autotrader, Property24 and PayU, in addition to Media24, South Africa’s leading print and digital media business.
Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ), a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa, and has a level 1 American Depository Receipt (ADR) programme which trades on an over-the-counter basis in the United States of America.
For more information, please visit www.naspers.com.
Naspers Labs
In 2019, Naspers Labs, a youth development programme designed to transform and launch South Africa’s unemployed youth into economic activity, was launched. Naspers Labs focuses on digital skills and training, enabling young people to pursue tech careers.
Response to COVID-19
Naspers contributed R1.5 billion of emergency aid to support the South African government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This contribution consisted of R500 million towards the Solidarity Fund and R1 billion worth of PPE sourced and distributed to South Africa’s front-line healthcare workers. In addition, Naspers contributed R6.9 million to the Nelson Mandela Foundation's EachOne FeedOne programme to support families who COVID-19 has impacted with meals for a year.