Jonas Bogoshi, CEO of JSE-listed technology group Gijima, will step down at the end of the year after five years in the job.

In a statement to shareholders, the group’s board says there will be a formal handover period of three months to a new CEO. It has not named who will be taking the top job. Bogoshi informed the board last week about his intention to step down.

“The board would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Bogoshi for his hard work over the past five years and wishes him well in his pursuit of new endeavours.”

Bogoshi tells TechCentral that when he was appointed as CEO, he told chairman Robert Gumede that he would stay in the job for five years. He says now that that time has past, it is time for him to move on. He says he wants to remain involved in the IT industry, but in a role where he can focus on mobile technology and social networks. He has no specific plans at this stage, he says, and has not accepted any job offers. However, he says he will remain in the private sector.

He says he is leaving Gijima at the right time, insisting restructuring he has led over the past 18 months has laid the foundation for a turnaround. “We have had a very challenging time in the past two years,” Bogoshi says. “The business is now on a growth path. We have restructured. It’s important that someone comes in at this stage and takes it on a growth trajectory.”

Gijima has talented people internally who could be considered for the CEO job, he adds. “But the board will look both internally and externally, including overseas.”

The group reported annual results on Wednesday, showing flat revenue over 2011 despite the group losing half of its contract with Absa and its business with the SA Police Service. Headline losses were reduced to R50,7m from R210m a year ago. — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media