NetHold

NetHold is a Pay TV company based in the Netherlands. As of 1997, the company merged with CANAL+ and is directed by Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont.[1]

Foundation

In 1985, Koos Bekker led the founding committee behind M-Net, a Television platform operator in South Africa.[2]

In 1990, M-net was introduced to Johannesburg Stock market. In 1991, the company changed its name to MIH Ltd and was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.[3]

In 1995, MIH and Richemont joined their assets to form NetHold. Koos Bekker was appointed NetHold’s first general director.[4]

By march 1996, the company amassed $950 million revenue.[5]

Partnerships

NetHold owns 45% of Telepiu and 6.5% of Mediaset in Italy.[6]

The company was on the verge of signing a deal with DirecTV but the partnership was dismissed.[7]

Merging with CANAL+

In 1997, NetHold merged with CANAL+ a French-based Pay TV operator. By that time, NetHold’s value reached $1.8 billion.[3]

Richemont and MIH kept NetHold’s pay-television businesses in Africa, Greece, Cyprus and the Middle east then sold them to CANAL+ in exchange for 20% shares in all of its operations.[8][9]

The union of NetHold and CANAL+ garnered 8.5 million subscribers.[10] The group is present in France, Spain, Italy and Germany with a large audience in Scandinavian countries.[11] The Board of directors of the merging venture includes representatives of CANAL+’s major shareholder Havas, Compagnie des eaux and NetHold’s shareholders Richemont and MIH.[12]

Directors
  • Koos Bekker (former NetHold CEO, former General director of Naspers)[13]
  • Johann Rupert (Richemont chairman[14] and NetHold CEO)[15]

References
  1. Hart, Jeffrey A. (2004-02-05). Technology, Television, and Competition: The Politics of Digital TV. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139442244.
  2. "KOOS BEKKER - South African Entrepreneurs Business Magazine". SA Entrepreneurs Magazine. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  3. "MIH Limited - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on MIH Limited". www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  4. "MIH Limited -- Company History". www.company-histories.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  5. GILLIES, MIDGE (1996-09-03). "Netherlands' NetHold Emerging as Global Player in Pay TV". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  6. "Three's company". Euromoney. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  7. Week, Marketing (1996-09-20). "Euro giants start digital dogfight". Marketing Week. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  8. "Compagnie Financière Richemont SA - Home". www.richemont.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  9. Williams, Michael (1996-12-20). "Canal Plus, NetHold link creates Euro pay TV giant". Variety. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  10. News, Bloomberg (1996-09-07). "Canal Plus Is in a Deal For Nethold". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  11. GILLIES, MIDGE (1996-09-07). "Canal Plus to Buy NetHold in Deal Worth $1.6 Billion". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  12. User, Super. "Compagnie Financière Richemont SA - Nethold to merge with CANAL+ to create the leading European pay-TV and Digital Television group". www.richemont.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  13. "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  14. "Johann Rupert | Who's Who SA". whoswho.co.za. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  15. Group, Euromedia Research (1998-09-24). Media Policy: Convergence, Concentration & Commerce. SAGE. ISBN 9781446265246.
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