Nico Marais Becomes Permanent CFO of Naspers and Prosus

Beulah Godfrey

May 6, 2025
2 min read

Naspers and its European-listed subsidiary, Prosus NV, have appointed Nico Marais as their permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This decision, backed by both companies’ boards, comes after Marais served as interim CFO since December 2024, following Basil Sgourdos’ retirement.

Marais, 51, brings more than 25 years of experience at Naspers. He has played major roles in the group’s growth and financial strategy. Koos Bekker, chairman of both companies, said Marais’ deep knowledge and strong partnership with CEO Fabricio Bloisi will help drive the next phase of growth.

Nico Marais Steps In as Naspers and Prosus Target New Growth

Marais takes over at a critical time. Naspers and Prosus hold large stakes in top tech firms like Tencent, Swiggy, and Delivery Hero. Prosus posted a 74% jump in half-year earnings to $3.5 billion in September 2024. Naspers also saw its earnings rise to $1.5 billion, up from $866 million the year before.

During his time at the company, Marais helped with big projects like listing Prosus on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, breaking up a complex share structure, and running a share buyback program to boost investor returns. He also led debt funding efforts that strengthened the group’s finances.

Marais expects Prosus to hit $6.2 billion in revenue for the full year, with e-commerce leading the way. The company already earned $3 billion from its online businesses, growing 26% year-over-year.

Marais has joined Naspers’ board as Financial Director and will join the Prosus board in August 2025, pending shareholder approval.

Naspers also added Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers South Africa, to its board in April. She is expected to join Prosus’ board as well, showing a push to include more regional voices in leadership.

Marais replaces longtime CFO Basil Sgourdos, who helped turn Naspers from a media firm into a major global tech investor. Sgourdos also led the group’s 2001 investment in Tencent, which remains its most valuable asset.

Now under CEO Fabricio Bloisi, Naspers and Prosus are focusing more on e-commerce profits, AI, fintech, and food delivery. Bloisi, who bought R81.3 million in Prosus shares in August 2024, has also revealed plans to list more companies like PayU, Meesho, and Bluestone within the next 18 months.

Industry experts say Marais’ promotion offers stability and a strong foundation for future growth. With $20 billion ready for tech investments in Europe and a clear focus on innovation, the group looks ready to expand under its updated leadership team.