Brief
Former Dimension Data CEO admits hidden interests in 2019 sale
Jason Goodall’s confession reveals undisclosed nominee holdings linked to the 2019 sale, prompting a court appeal by four former executives.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Jason Goodall, the former chief executive of Dimension Data and NTT Ltd, told techcentral.co.za that "Our undisclosed interests were held through nominees in a structure designed to keep our names hidden," referring to the 2019 sale of the company’s Bryanston head office. Four former executives – Jeremy Ord, Steven Nathan, Saki Missaikos and Grant Bodley – have rejected Goodall’s account, saying the wording was dictated by his settlement with NTT and that they are awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court of Appeal.
What happened
Goodall’s confession was made this week and centres on the 2019 transaction that transferred ownership of Dimension Data’s Bryanston headquarters. The four men named in the confession have filed an appeal, arguing that the settlement language does not reflect the true ownership structure.
What the reports add
The article notes that Dimension Data was founded in 1983 by a group of school friends, including Jeremy Ord, Bruce “Doc” Watson and later Richard Came. The company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1987 and grew by selling, installing and managing Cisco networking equipment, which generated gross margins of about 50 % in the 1990s, according to an interview with Ord in 2020. In 1998 the firm bought Internet Solutions for more than R400 million, and later expanded into Australia, Asia and Europe through acquisitions of Datacraft and Comparex. On 19 July 2000, Dimension Data moved its primary listing, a milestone in its corporate history.
What was said
Goodall’s own words are quoted directly: "Our undisclosed interests were held through nominees in a structure designed to keep our names hidden." The four former executives are reported to say the phrasing was imposed by Goodall’s settlement and that they are waiting for the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling.
How it came about
Dimension Data’s rise from a small school‑friend venture to a flagship South African tech company is traced through its early focus on Cisco hardware, high‑margin sales in the 1990s, and a series of strategic acquisitions that made it a staple of South African investment portfolios. The recent legal dispute over hidden interests threatens to reshape how the company’s legacy is remembered, according to the source.
Key facts
- Jason Goodall admitted undisclosed nominee interests in the 2019 sale of Dimension Data's Bryanston head office. (techcentral.co.za)
- Four former executives – Jeremy Ord, Steven Nathan, Saki Missaikos and Grant Bodley – have rejected Goodall's account and are appealing to the Supreme Court of Appeal. (techcentral.co.za)
- Dimension Data was founded in 1983, listed on the JSE in 1987, and bought Internet Solutions for over R400 million in 1998. (techcentral.co.za)
- Cisco hardware margins were about 50 % in the 1990s, according to a 2020 interview with Jeremy Ord. (techcentral.co.za)
- On 19 July 2000, Dimension Data moved its primary listing. (techcentral.co.za)
Timeline
- 1983-01-01 — Dimension Data founded by school friends.
- 1987-01-01 — Company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
- 1998-01-01 — Acquired Internet Solutions for over R400 million.
- 2000-07-19 — Moved primary listing.
- 2019-01-01 — Sale of Bryanston head office completed.
Sources
- [1] techcentral.co.za — originally reported as “Dimension Data deserves to be remembered for more than this”
