He worked for R1 a month to save a failing business. Now Carl Neethling will never list again

He worked for R1 a month to save a failing business. Now Carl Neethling will never list again

Author: BizNews September 8, 2026 Duration: 1:03:21
Carl Neethling didn't set out to run Ascendis Health. A small, almost accidental shareholding tripped a JSE disclosure threshold, and not long after that he was locked out of his own email on the day he took the company over. What he found inside: nineteen accountants who, in his words, spent their days counting money that no longer existed, a head office costing more each year than the whole business was worth, and a regulator that ruled his takeover consortium had broken the law, only for a high court to tear the ruling up. He calls it the most painful experience of his life, and he's adamant Ascendis will never go anywhere near the JSE again.

Tune into BizNews Radio for direct conversations with the people shaping markets and ideas. Hosted by BizNews, each episode sits down with a distinct voice-be it a pioneering entrepreneur from Johannesburg, a policy analyst in London, or an investor in New York-to unpack the stories behind the headlines. You’ll hear unfiltered perspectives on economic shifts, technological disruptions, and the strategic decisions driving companies forward. This isn’t about rehearsed soundbites; it’s a chance to listen as seasoned thought leaders and accomplished business people discuss their successes, their failures, and what they see coming next. The discussions are grounded, detailed, and always aimed at providing context that goes beyond the daily news cycle. For anyone curious about the forces influencing commerce and society, this podcast offers a valuable front-row seat to genuine insight. Find BizNews Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

BizNews Radio
Podcast Episodes
Leon Kluge: The botanist turning South Africa's flowers into gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:44
Leon Kluge pulled off a hat-trick no South African had managed before: three straight gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show, the world's most prestigious garden show. But this year's win very nearly didn't happen. Storm…
6 bodies found: Killing spree of “serial” rapist… [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:52
In this BizNews interview, Chris Steyn and Juanita du Preez, the national spokesperson for Action Society, talk about the killing spree of a suspected serial rapist (or group of rapists) in Ekurhuleni. By yesterday (Mond…
Jasmine Opperman: Hamas-SA: 14 Bitcoin wallets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:38
In this week’s NdB Sunday Show, intelligence analyst Jasmine Opperman of Fulcrum Analytics, reveals to Chris Steyn that there are 14 active cryptocurrency wallets linked to Hamas in South Africa. “We know that Hamas has…