The CEO of a South African tech giant that makes R32.75 million a year and started at I&J Frozen Fish

[Luis]

South African tech CEO who makes R32.75-million a year started at an iconic frozen fish business and barely knew any English at school

Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa has been the CEO of Naspers South Africa since 2019. In 2026, she had a total remuneration package of R32.75 million and a base monthly salary of R8.3 million.

This is according to the annual financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 of Naspers, one of South Africa's largest technology companies, which has a market capitalisation of R630 billion.

 

[gogga_]

Any of these companies she's run actually check her credentials.........

Just saying that we've all been disappointed before by these people that claim to hold super degrees from Universities that most people have never heard of............

I'm tired of disappointment in South Africa.

 

[Mike Angelo]

So, a hard working Basotho not a lazy South African...

 

[cguy]

Any of these companies she's run actually check her credentials.........

Just saying that we've all been disappointed before by these people that claim to hold super degrees from Universities that most people have never heard of............

I'm tired of disappointment in South Africa.

Rutgers is a very well known and highly ranked university. De Montfort is ok too.

What is a little sus, is how does one go from working at tiny companies straight to CEO of Naspers SA in the blink of an eye.

 

[Okty]

Rutgers is a very well known and highly ranked university. De Montfort is ok too.

What is a little sus, is how does one go from working at tiny companies straight to CEO of Naspers SA in the blink of an eye.

Doesn't seem to be "straight" to CEO of Naspers:

Her first notable work experience was working as a manager for I&J Frozen Fish, an iconic South African frozen and battered fish supermarket brand. She started at the company in 1995.

The future top executive spent one year at I&J in Cape Town before joining The Agency, a Cheshire, UK-based advertising services business in 1996.

Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s first extended stint at a company was at Fieldstone Private Capital Group, an investment banking firm with offices in Johannesburg and New York.

According to her LinkedIn page, Mahanyele-Dabengwa spent six years at the company’s New York offices before returning to South Africa to head the local business as vice president.

From 2004 to 2015, Mahanyele-Dabengwa would lead Shanduka Group as its chief executive, a prominent South African investment holding company founded in 2001 by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Before joining Naspers, she was the co-founder and Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, an investment holding company formed in 2015. She joined Naspers in 2019.

 

[cguy]

Doesn't seem to be "straight" to CEO of Naspers:

I said "go from working at tiny companies straight to CEO of Naspers SA".

Before joining Naspers, she was the co-founder and Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, an investment holding company formed in 2015. She joined Naspers in 2019.

A company without a LinkedIn page, and with this webpage: https://www.sigma.africa/ ("Watch this space").

From 2004 to 2015, Mahanyele-Dabengwa would lead Shanduka Group as its chief executive, a prominent South African investment holding company founded in 2001 by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Also a handful of people. Here's the website their LinkedIn points to: http://www.shanduka.co.za/ ("This site can't be reached"). The company was founded by Cyril and other wealthy/political connected people though, which is probably the reason for her appointment.

Perhaps the current role doesn't have super high requirements. It looks like the SA branch of Naspers is just a holding company for other firms that are run by their own CEOs.

 

[ubercal]

Nuff said

"Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s father was the prominent South African entrepreneur and Black Economic Empowerment pioneer, Mohale Mahanyele

Her stepmother is the notable politician and former Minister of Housing, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele.

Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa was married to the prominent telecommunications titan and businessman, Raymond Sifiso Ndlovu Dabengwa"