Naspers and Prosus appoint Nico Marais as a permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Naspers Limited, a leading South African technology investor, and its European-listed subsidiary Prosus NV have announced the appointment of Nico Marais as their permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately. The decision, which received unanimous support from the boards of both companies, marks the culmination of Marais’s interim tenure as CFO since December 2024, following the retirement of long-serving finance executive Basil Sgourdos.

Marais, 51, a seasoned financial leader with over 25 years of experience within the Naspers group, steps into the role with a robust track record and deep institutional knowledge.

Koos Bekker, chairman of Naspers and Prosus, praised Marais’ expertise and his strong working relationship with group CEO Fabricio Bloisi. “He brings invaluable expertise and experience to the role, which he has built up over more than two decades with the group,” Bekker said in a statement.

“The strong working relationship he has developed with our CEO, Fabricio Bloisi, puts us in good stead as we look ahead with excitement to the next phase of our growth journey,” he added.

Marais’ appointment comes at a pivotal time for Naspers and Prosus, which are among the largest technology investors globally, with significant stakes in companies like Tencent Holdings Ltd., Delivery Hero SE, and India’s Swiggy.

Prosus, spun off from Naspers and listed in Amsterdam in 2019, reported a 74% surge in half-year core earnings to $3.5 billion for the period ending September 30, 2024, driven by successful asset sales and growth in its e-commerce portfolio. Naspers, the parent company of MultiChoice, also saw core headline earnings rise to $1.5 billion, up from $866 million in the same period.

Marais’ decades-long career at Naspers

Marais’ extensive history with the group includes serving as General Manager of Finance, where he played a key role in transformative initiatives. These include the listing of Prosus on the Euronext Amsterdam, the unwinding of a complex cross-shareholding structure between Naspers and Prosus, and the execution of an ongoing open-ended share repurchase programme aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Additionally, Marais has been instrumental in Prosus’ debt capital market activities, bolstering the group’s financial strategy.

Reflecting on his appointment, Marais expressed optimism about the group’s future.

In a recent interview, he projected full-year revenues of $6.2 billion for Prosus, with organic growth expected to exceed 20%.

“Our operations delivered topline growth of 26%, with consolidated e-commerce revenue of $3.0 billion,” he noted, underscoring the group’s strong financial trajectory.

Marais will join the Naspers board as financial director with immediate effect and is slated to join the Prosus board following its Annual General Meeting in August 2025, pending shareholder approval.

His appointment aligns with other strategic leadership changes within the group. Notably, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, Naspers’ South Africa CEO, was recently appointed to the Naspers board effective April 1, 2025, and nominated for Prosus’ board, signalling a focus on strengthening governance and regional expertise.

The leadership transition follows the retirement of Basil Sgourdos, who served as CFO for nearly three decades, guiding Naspers through its evolution from a media company to a global technology powerhouse. Sgourdos’ tenure included overseeing the group’s investment in Tencent in 2001, which remains a cornerstone of its portfolio.

Under CEO Fabricio Bloisi, appointed in July 2024, Naspers and Prosus are intensifying their focus on e-commerce profitability and new growth avenues, particularly in AI, fintech, and food delivery. Bloisi, who invested R81.3 million in Prosus shares in August 2024, has outlined plans for further listings, including PayU and Indian investments like Meesho and Bluestone, within the next 18 months.

Analysts view Marais’ appointment as a strategic move to ensure continuity and leverage his deep operational experience to further the group’s ambitions. With a $20 billion war chest for European investments and a focus on AI-driven opportunities, the group is poised for significant expansion under its newly solidified leadership team.