Bob van Dijk has stepped down as Naspers, Prosus CEO.

Prosus and its parent company, Naspers, announced the departure of CEO Bob van Dijk today, in a surprise move.

In an announcement to shareholders, both companies said: “The Naspers and Prosus boards and Bob van Dijk have mutually agreed that Bob will, effective 18 September 2023, step down from his position as chief executive as well as his position on the boards of both companies. Bob has agreed to assist with the transition after this date and will remain as a consultant to the group until 30 September 2024.”

Bob has been the chief executive of Naspers since 2014, and of Prosus since its listing in 2019.

The statement continued: “Bob established the group as a leading global consumer Internet company, creating significant value for shareholders. The boards sincerely thank Bob for his leadership and contribution.”

Ervin Tu, Naspers' group chief investment officer, will serve as interim CEO of Naspers and Prosus.

The firms stated that the group's strategic goals have not changed and that it is on track to meet its commitments, such as attaining consolidated ecommerce trading profit in the first half of FY 25 and continuing the open-ended share repurchase programme.