Friday, October 26, 2018

Naspers does executive shuffle for the newly-created MultiChoice Group before its planned spin-off and listing on the JSE in 2019, with Calvo Mawela as CEO.

Naspers that has dumped and respawned its Naspers Video Entertainment unit as the MultiChoice Group business, has done an executive shuffle and appointments with Calvo Mawela as new MultiChoice Group CEO.

Naspers plans to spin-off MultiChoice as its own business that plans to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) during the first half of 2019.

Naspers has announced Calvo Mwela as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the MultiChoice Group. Until now Calvo Mawela has been the MultiChoice South Africa CEO.

Calvo Mawela's appointment as CEO of the MultiChoice Group is effective from 1 November, along with other appointments and reshufflings as part of the top management shake-up as MultiChoice gets ready to unbundle from Naspers.

The other appointments at the new MultiChoice Group are Brand de Villiers as chief operating officer (COO), Tim Jacobs as chief financial officer (CFO), and Imtiaz Patel as executive chairperson of the MultiChoice Group.

The MultiChoice Group incorporates MultiChoice South Africa, MultiChoice Africa, the streaming service Showmax in South Africa and Africa, and Irdeto.

There's been no word yet on what happens to Mark Rayner who until now has been the MultiChoice South Africa COO.

"This announcement marks a significant step for the MultiChoice Group as they journey towards a standalone business," says Bob van Dijk, Naspers CEO in a statement announcing the MultiChoice Group creation and management shuffle.

"I am confident that through the leadership of Imtiaz and Calvo, MultiChoice Group will continue on its growth trajectory and unlock even more value for its shareholders."