Dis-Chem Founder Ivan Saltzman to step down as executive director in June 2026

SOUTH AFRICA—Dis-Chem has announced that Ivan Saltzman, its founder, will step down as an executive director in June 2026, marking another transition at one of South Africa’s largest pharmacy and healthcare retailers.

Saltzman, 75, co-founded Dis-Chem with his wife, Lynette, in 1978 and has played a central role in transforming the business from a family-run operation into a national chain.

He already relinquished the chief executive role in July 2023, when then-chief financial officer Rui Morais took over as CEO.

After leaving the executive director post, Saltzman will remain on the board as a non-executive director and continue as deputy chairman.

The company credits him with helping shape the group’s expansion strategy, regional footprint, and the governance required for its public listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2016.

Chairman Larry Nestadt praised Saltzman for playing a defining role in transforming the local retail pharmacy landscape and welcomed his continued involvement at a strategic level.

Saltzman considers this the right time to step back from day-to-day responsibilities, citing the strength of the current leadership structure.

He plans to focus on supporting the group’s longer-term direction instead.

Morais noted that Saltzman’s influence remains embedded in the company’s culture and leadership, adding that his presence will continue to guide the next phase of growth.

The leadership change comes amid a broader reshuffling of the Saltzman family’s formal positions and shareholding in Dis-Chem over the past year.

In October 2025, the company announced that Saul Saltzman, son of Ivan and Lynette, had submitted his resignation as an executive director.

That change takes effect in February 2026, with Saul staying on the board as a non-independent non-executive director.

Lynette Saltzman stepped down as an executive director in 2022 and moved into a more operational role focused on the group’s beauty category.

In a separate move, brothers Dan and Mark Saltzman inherited approximately R6.8 billion (USD 402 million) in Dis-Chem shares in June 2025 as part of a restructuring by the founders.

Following the distribution, the family investment vehicle Ivlyn’s stake fell to about 4% from more than 29%, while Dan and Mark each ended up with around 12% after having held no shares previously.

The company maintains that the shares remain within the family, preserving the broader ownership structure.

The transition reflects a new balance of roles with a founder stepping back, a new generation consolidating ownership, and a listed retailer positioning itself for the next decade of competition in South Africa’s evolving health and wellness market.