Naspers has revealed its plans to appoint Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, its current South Africa CEO, as an executive director on its board. Mahanyele-Dabengwa, who has held her role since 2019, is a prominent business leader with significant experience. In addition to her position at Naspers, she also serves as an independent nonexecutive director at Vodacom and holds seats on the United Nations’ Global Compact Network SA board and the SA BRICS Business Council. Her appointment to the Naspers board is set to take effect from 1 April. Furthermore, the company intends to nominate her for a seat on the board of Prosus, Naspers’ Amsterdam-listed consumer internet arm, during its next annual general meeting.
Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in economics from Douglass College at Rutgers University in the United States, which she obtained in 1993. She later earned an MBA from De Montfort University in 1996. Her extensive leadership experience and involvement in key business councils have positioned her as a strong addition to the Naspers and Prosus leadership teams. The appointment is seen as a strategic move that aligns with the company’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its governance and global presence.
In a related announcement, Naspers confirmed that Nolo Letele, former CEO of MultiChoice, will retire as a nonexecutive director from the boards of both Naspers and Prosus. Letele’s departure is scheduled for 31 March, marking the end of his tenure which began when he joined the Naspers board in 2013. His retirement comes after years of valuable contributions to the group’s strategic growth. These changes reflect Naspers’ ongoing focus on leadership renewal and its commitment to enhancing its governance framework.