Mrs Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa
CEO
Naspers
South Africa
Industry / Sector
Information and Communication Technology
Personal Profile
Phuthi joined Naspers as South Africa CEO, in July 2019. Before joining Naspers, she was the co-founder and Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, an investment holding company formed in 2015. She held the position of CEO at Shanduka Group, an investment holding company from 2004 to 2015. Prior, she was the Head of the Project Finance South Africa business unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Early in her career, Phuthi worked in New York at Fieldstone, an international firm specialising in the financing of infrastructure assets. She later transferred to the South African office, where she served as a Vice President. In 2020, Phuthi ranked number 42 in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International list. In May 2016 Phuthi became a member of the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She has been awarded several accolades such as CNBC Africa’s All Africa Business Leaders “Woman of the Year Award” in 2019 and the Forbes Woman Africa “Businesswoman of the Year” Award in 2014. In 2013, she was awarded a “Distinguished Achievement” Award by The Douglass Society, and the Africa Investors recognised her as a “Leading Africa Woman in Business of the Year” in 2012. In 2009, she was awarded the “Most Influential Woman in Government and Business” by Financial Services. The Wall Street Journal counted her among the “Top 50 women in the world to watch”. She was awarded “Top in Project Finance, 2003” by the Association of Black Securities & Investment Professionals. Phuthi holds a BA Economics from Rutgers University, USA in 1993, and an MBA from De Montfort University in the UK in 1996. She also completed the Kennedy School of Government Executive Education programme “Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century” at Harvard University in 2008. Phuthi is the Vice Chairperson of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation and director of Vodacom Group. She serves on the advisory board of Stellenbosch University’s business school. Phuthi also serves on the board of the United Nation’s Global Compact Network SA. She is also a council member of the BRICS Business Council in South Africa.
Company Profile
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) 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).