South African-born Dutch business executive Bob van Dijk has exited his position at the helm of Dutch consumer Internet conglomerate Prosus and Naspers, its South African parent company, nearly a decade after his appointment.
In a mutually agreed decision, van Dijk, who has been the CEO of Naspers since 2014 and took the reins at Prosus since its listing in 2019, will officially vacate his position on Sept. 18, 2023. This transition also entails his relinquishing board positions at both companies.
Van Dijk has been a central figure in establishing Naspers as a global leader in the consumer internet sector and has delivered substantial value to shareholders throughout his tenure. The boards of Naspers and Prosus expressed their sincere appreciation for his remarkable leadership and contributions to the organizations.
For the fiscal year 2023, van Dijk, a prominent South African-born business executive, received a total remuneration of $5.9 million, in contrast to the $15.8 million earned the previous year. As part of the transition process, he will remain with the companies until Sept. 30, 2024, as a consultant.
Ervin Tu has been appointed as the interim CEO of both Naspers and Prosus, taking charge during this period of change. The companies have underlined their commitment to maintaining their strategic goals, including pursuing a consolidated e-commerce trading profit in the first half of FY25 and continuing the open-ended share repurchase program.
In response to the news of van Dijk’s departure, Naspers shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange fell by 1.71 percent, while Prosus N.V. shares on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange declined by 2.13 percent during trading hours.
