Naspers and Prosus have appointed the group’s chief investment officer Ervin Tu (above) as interim CEO.
He replaces Bob van Dijk, who is stepping down from both the CEO position and the company’s board. However, Van Dijk (LinkedIn profile) will remain as a consultant to the board until the end of September next year, Netherlands-based Prosus said in an announcement.
Van Dijk’s resignation comes at a time when the group is working to make its e-commerce portfolio profitable.
Tu (LinkedIn profile) joined the group in August 2021. Before joining Prosus and Naspers, he was a managing director at Goldman Sachs’ technology, media, and telecom group — part of its investment banking division — and, after that, a managing partner at SoftBank.
Tu has a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Sloan School of Management.
“Prosus is operating with momentum. I am honored to assume the role and help shape the future of the group. I couldn’t be more excited about the team around me and to get started,” he said.
Prosus didn’t specify the reason behind Van Dijk’s resignation, but it acknowledged his contribution “… to the success and future of the group. Bob has helped establish the group as a leading global consumer internet company, creating significant value for shareholders.”
“The boards of Prosus and Naspers want to thank Bob for his leadership over a full decade,” said chairman Koos Bekker. “During this time, substantial businesses were established in classifieds, food delivery and payments, while we also entered several new fields.”