OLX Group appoints Christian Gisy as its new CEO
18 April 2024 - 5:02PM
Business Wire
Today OLX Group (“OLX”), a global marketplace leader that builds
platforms to facilitate trade, announces the appointment of
Christian Gisy as CEO.
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Christian will be responsible for leading the strategy, growth
and development of the company’s operations in Europe and South
Africa, including for its high-profile brands like OLX, Otomoto,
Standvirtual, Property24 and AutoTrader. He will report to Ervin
Tu, Interim CEO of Prosus, one of the largest technology investors
in the world and the owner of OLX Group.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, OLX is one of the fastest-growing
classified businesses globally. In today’s macroeconomic
environment, the ability for both company and consumer sellers to
provide affordable products and services is more valuable than
ever. OLX exists to enable buyers to afford things they would not
usually buy as new, and to enable sellers to make extra cash and
generate their own revenue stream. Every month, OLX platforms
display more than 73m active listings, with more than 13m people
posting items for sale.
As the former CEO of CinemaxX and AUTODOC, CFO of Scout24 Group
and Managing Director of AutoScout24 Group, Christian has built a
strong track record coupled with significant experience in
delivering growth and value expansion at marketplace and eCommerce
businesses. Christian also served as chairman of the Advisory Board
at Avito - one of OLX Group’s former highly successful
businesses.
Ervin Tu, Prosus Interim CEO, commented: “Christian’s
experience as a CEO will bring important expertise and leadership
to OLX Group as it continues to grow. Christian also has a deep
understanding of the Classifieds sector and knows the Group well
from a previous advisory role. We are delighted to welcome him to
OLX.”
As well as focusing on business performance, profitability and
growth, Christian will ensure innovation continues to be core to
OLX’s overarching strategy. Tech developments, especially in
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, continue to drive
innovation into the classifieds space and create new market
opportunities and customer standards.
Christian Gisy, OLX Group CEO, said: “I am thrilled to
join OLX and lead the business through its next phase of growth.
OLX has fantastic talent, brands, data and technology - helping
connect millions of people and businesses and enabling them to
transact online. Added to that, OLX is using transformative
technology, including AI, to bolster the circular economy, so we
also have an important role to play in enabling a more sustainable
future.”
Christian takes the CEO role after a period of sustained
business progress at OLX. In November 2023, as part of Prosus’ HY24
results, OLX reported peer-leading growth of +32%. In the same
period, the company’s trading profit more than doubled to US$94m,
with trading profit margin increasing 12 percentage points, to
27%.
Lydia Paterson, outgoing OLX CEO, will take on the role of
Operating Partner, overseeing Prosus Classifieds portfolio
investments outside of Europe and South Africa, until retiring at
the end of the year.
Tu added: “I want to thank Lydia, who has done an outstanding
job leading OLX as its CFO for nearly seven years and as CEO for
the past year. She has built a strong business and team and has
been an instrumental part of the OLX journey. She will be missed by
all colleagues.”
About OLX Group
OLX is a global marketplace leader that builds platforms to
facilitate trade. Serving tens of millions of people around the
world every month, OLX exists to enable buyers to afford things
they would not usually buy as new, and to enable sellers to make
extra cash and generate their own revenue stream.
OLX is the classifieds business of Prosus, one of the largest
technology investors in the world. Operating and investing globally
in markets with long-term growth potential, Prosus builds leading
consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich
communities.
For more information on OLX, visit www.olxgroup.com. For more on
Prosus, its companies and investments, visit www.prosus.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240417714173/en/
Ana Garcia ana@olxgroup.com