Dutch technology investor Prosus and its South African parent group Naspers this Friday appointed Brazilian Fabricio Bloisi, chairman of iFood, as their new CEO, replacing veteran Bob van Dijk, who resigned last September.
The companies, whose main asset is Prosus’ 26% stake in Chinese tech giant Tencent, said Bloisi will take up the role at both companies on July 1.
“He (Bloisi) has a combination of vision, deep operational experience and strong discipline. It is this set of skills that the board believes makes him the right person to lead us now,” said Prosus and Naspers chairman Koos Bekker, in a note.
iFood is controlled by technology holding company Movile, co-founded by Bloisi and controlled by Naspers.
“A company like Prosus must play an important role in identifying new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, that impact the world and, in particular, emerging markets,” Bloisi said.
Interim CEO Ervin Tu has been named president and chief investment officer while Bloisi will take the helm.
At 8.14am (Brasilia time) shares of Prosus and Naspers fell more than 3%.
Analysts at Jefferies said Bloisi’s skills as an owner-operator were unlikely to be fully utilized at the helm of Prosus, given that investments in both publicly traded and private companies have their own operators.
“We would have preferred a capital allocator with a track record of experience in public or private company markets to lead Prosus,” they said.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
