Over twenty years ago, you had to be over 50, possibly closer to 60, to be entrusted with managing a company with assets valued over a billion rand. Now that’s no longer the case from increasing statistics of younger CEOs at the top of JSE-listed entities.
Boards of companies are going against ‘tradition’ of going purely for experience. This is evidenced by 17 of the SA market’s top 100 Companies that have brought in new CEOs.
The average age of the newcomers is 47. The youngest of the group being is Naspers’ new CEO Bob van Dijk (41).