MEDIA

Takeover of Multichoice by French-based Canal+ group completed

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

Notable change for Africa’s media landscape as Canal+ officially assumes control over Multichoice and appoints new executive team.

French broadcaster and media conglomerate Canal+ has assumed control of the Africa-focused MultiChoice group, with a new executive team named to take charge of the new business. It represents a notable change to the continent’s media landscape.

Photo: Canal+

The outgoing CEO of Multichoice, Calvo Mawela, becomes Chairman of Canal+’s African business in a new strategic role charged with providing high-level guidance across the continent.

David Mignot, who has spent 14 years with Canal+, becomes CEO of the new African business. Nicolas Dandoy, also from Canal+, is the new Chief Financial Officer. The overall integrated company will be led by Canal+ Group CEO, Maxime Saada, who fills the role of Executive Chairman.

Changeover marks an important step

The changeover took effect from Monday, 22 September 2025, with Saada commenting: “Today marks an important step forward for Canal+, as we begin to integrate MultiChoice to create a group with enhanced scale, reach and creativity… I look forward to providing the market with a more detailed update on the strategy of our combined group during the first quarter of next year.”

Said Mignot: “As a combined company, we are building on strong foundations to create a media and entertainment powerhouse to serve African consumers.”

In a statement posted on its website, Canal+ noted that it is “now in effective control of MultiChoice Group and will start to the integration process, creating a global media and entertainment powerhouse, serving over 40-million subscribers across close to 70 countries”.

The company added that following an in-depth review of business operations, Canal+ intends to inform the market of its detailed plans and envisaged synergies when it provides a strategic update for the combined group during the first quarter of 2026.

In South Africa, where Multichoice is headquartered, Canal+ has committed to a package of public interest measures.

These include supporting businesses controlled by historically disadvantaged persons and SMEs in the local audio-visual sector. It will also maintain funding for local entertainment and sports content produced by South African creators.

Competition Tribunal agreed to the transaction

South Africa’s Competition Tribunal agreed to the proposed transaction after a positive recommendation from the country’s Competition Commission in May 2025, and hearings in mid-July 2025 at which interested parties gave their submissions. Among them were the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and Media Monitoring Africa, a watchdog for fair and ethical media practices across Africa.

Canal+ is part of the Vivendi global media group with operations spanning content production, advertising, video game development and publishing. Among its assets is advertising and PR company Havas.

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