French media group Canal+ on Monday, 22 September, announced a new board to steer South African broadcaster MultiChoice after taking control of the company through a R35bn ($2.02bn) acquisition.
Logos of French TV channel Canal+ are reflected in a puddle in front of the Canal One headquarters of the Canal+ Group in Issy-Les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, 20 February 2025. Reuters/Abdul Saboor/File Photo
MultiChoice implemented a reorganisation of its South African operations this month in line with conditions laid out by South Africa's Competition Tribunal in July to approve the takeover.
New directors
The MultiChoice group board now includes four new directors, including David Mignot as CEO and Nicolas Dandoy as chief financial officer. Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada will become the chair, the companies said.
Outgoing MultiChoice Group CEO Calvo Mawela has been appointed as the chair of Canal+'s African operations, which includes MultiChoice. Mignot and Dandoy will respectively be CEO and CFO of Canal+ Africa.
The outgoing MultiChoice CFO, Timothy Jacobs, will continue to hold a senior position in the combined group's finance department, the companies said.
Pay-TV dominance
The takeover gives Canal+ a dominant foothold in Africa's fast-growing pay-TV market, where MultiChoice operates across 50 countries. It also marks a major step in Canal+'s strategy to become a top five global entertainment player, Saada said on a media call.
The combined group will serve more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.
Canal+ owned 46% of MultiChoice as of 19 September, with another 2.2% of shares tendered in its favour since, giving the London-listed company effective control of the TV broadcaster, the companies said on Monday.
The shares still to be tendered into the offer, which is now unconditional, will further increase Canal+'s stake.
A more detailed update on the combined group's strategy will be provided in the first quarter of next year, Saada added. MultiChoice's partnership with US media conglomerate Comcast will continue.
($1 = R17.3354)
