KEY POINTS
- Ivan Saltzman will step down as executive director in June 2026.
- Saltzman will remain deputy chairman and on the board.
- Family restructuring reshapes ownership while keeping shares within the family.
Ivan Saltzman, the founder of South Africa’s Dis-Chem, will step down as an executive director in June 2026, the company confirmed, marking the next phase in leadership transition at one of the country’s largest pharmacy and healthcare retailers.
Saltzman to leave executive role
Saltzman, 75, co-founded Dis-Chem with his wife, Lynette, in 1978 and played a central role in transforming the company from a single family-run store into a nationwide chain. He handed over the chief executive position in July 2023 to then-chief financial officer Rui Morais, who took the helm as CEO.
The company said Saltzman will remain on the board as a non-executive director and continue serving as deputy chairman, ensuring his strategic influence persists even after stepping back from day-to-day management. Dis-Chem credited him with shaping its expansion strategy, regional footprint, and governance frameworks that enabled the company’s public listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2016.
Chairman Larry Nestadt described Saltzman’s contribution as defining for South Africa’s retail pharmacy sector, emphasizing that the board welcomed his continued guidance at a strategic level.
According to Billionaire Africa, Saltzman said the timing for his step back was appropriate, highlighting the strength of the current leadership team and expressing confidence in the company’s direction. “This allows me to focus on supporting the group’s long-term strategy while giving the executive team room to operate independently,” he said.
Morais added that Saltzman’s imprint remains embedded in the company’s culture and leadership ethos, ensuring continuity even as the retailer faces new market challenges.
Family reshapes Dis-Chem ownership
The executive reshuffle follows broader adjustments in the Saltzman family’s formal roles and shareholding. In October 2025, Saul Saltzman, the couple’s son, resigned as an executive director, effective February 2026, while remaining a non-independent non-executive director. Lynette Saltzman had stepped back from her executive role in 2022 to concentrate on Dis-Chem’s beauty category.
Earlier in 2025, brothers Dan and Mark Saltzman received roughly R6.8 billion in Dis-Chem shares in a family restructuring, reducing the family vehicle Ivlyn’s stake to 4 percent from over 29 percent. Dan and Mark now hold about 12 percent each. The company emphasized that these moves keep ownership within the family while modernizing governance.
For Dis-Chem, the message is continuity. A founder is stepping aside, the next generation consolidates ownership, and the listed retailer positions itself for the next decade in South Africa’s evolving health and wellness market.
