OLX Group, a major player in the global marketplace scene headquartered in Amsterdam, has officially announced Christian Gisy as its new CEO. This appointment marks a significant step in the leadership transition for the company, known for facilitating trade through platforms that serve millions globally.

Christian Gisy brings to OLX Group a robust background in leadership roles within prominent companies, including his prior role as CEO of CinemaxX and AUTODOC, CFO at Scout24 Group, and Managing Director at AutoScout24 Group. Additionally, Christian’s involvement as chairman of the Advisory Board at Avito, a former key asset of OLX Group, highlights his profound understanding and experience within the classifieds sector.

The new CEO is set to head the strategic growth and development of OLX’s operations across Europe and South Africa. OLX Group houses several high-profile brands under its umbrella including OLX, Otomoto, Standvirtual, Property24, and AutoTrader, making Christian’s role crucial in steering the brand towards continued market leadership.

Under the stewardship of interim Prosus CEO Ervin Tu, Christian’s new role will involve not just continuing the business’s success but also ensuring that innovation, particularly in the realms of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, remains central to the company’s strategy. These technologies are expected to significantly enhance the classifieds experience, forging new market opportunities and elevating customer standards.

Christian’s leadership takes over during a dynamic phase of growth for OLX, as highlighted by the company’s recent financial achievements. In the last reported results, OLX showed a remarkable +32% growth with the company’s trading profit more than doubling to US$94m, evidently leading the industry by performance metrics. “OLX has fantastic talent, brands, data and technology – helping connect millions of people and businesses and enabling them to transact online,” stated Christian Gisy, emphasizing the potential he sees within the OLX framework, coupled with its commitment to accentuating the circular economy via transformative technology.

Outgoing CEO Lydia Paterson, who significantly contributed to building a robust business framework during her tenure, will transition to a new role within the Prosus ecosystem, taking on responsibilities as Operating Partner overseeing Prosus Classifieds portfolio investments outside of Europe and South Africa until her retirement at the end of the year. Ervin Tu expressed profound gratitude toward Lydia for her leadership and contributions, noting she will be greatly missed by colleagues.

OLX Group, as part of the Prosus family – one of the world’s leading technology investors, remains committed to empowering users and enriching communities by offering budget-friendly secondhand goods alongside a viable platform for sellers to generate income, reflecting an increasingly important facet of sustainable consumer behavior.

With the instalment of Christian Gisy as CEO, OLX Group stands on the brink of a new era promising enhanced marketplace dynamics and innovation-led growth, aligning with the broader visions of the future of trade and technology-driven economies.