Full Name: Johannes Hendrik (Hansie) van Vreden

Position: COO, Goldplat

Main Activity of the Company: Recovery of precious metals from by-products in metallurgical processes

Date and Place of Birth: November 4, 1980, Springs, Gauteng

Education: BEng (chemical: mineral processing), Stellenbosch University

First Job: Tour guide at Van Ryn Brandy Distillery, in Stellenbosch

Size of First Pay Packet: R120 a tour at the time – great for a student!

Value of Assets under Your Control: Goldplat has a market capitalisation of £12.5-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: Goldplat employs 450 people

Management Style: I try to approach my work the same way as when the Bible speaks about how the body has many parts, which are equally important and need one another to function. The same applies to employees and the business

Personal Best Achievement: Being the father of four awesome boys

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Mignon

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I have had great mentors in my career thus far: Basie Maree, Frans du Plessis, Ian Smit and Michael Erickson, all from my AngloGold Ashanti days, as well as Dr Bob Smith, of Goldplat

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Harvey Specter, Suits

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Michael Jordaan, former CEO of First National Bank

Philosophy of Life: Grade 11 English teacher’s quote on our classroom wall: “You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can always adjust your sails to reach your destiny”

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Secondment to the Sunrise Dam gold mine, in Western Australia (thank you, AngloGold Ashanti)

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Tuesday, March 24, 2015, South Africa vs New Zealand, Cricket World Cup semifinal . . . say no more

Hope for the Future: “You want to change your life? Change the way you think” – Harvey Specter

Favourite Reading: I am not a big reader (yet) but recently read my first Deon Meyer book, Ikarus – what a great book!

Favourite TV Programme: Suits

Favourite Food/Drink: Pasta/seafood/braai/lemon meringue/crème brûlée/coffee/wine/craft beer

Favourite Music: From classical to contemporary to jazz

Favourite Sport: Rugby (but we are at an all-time low, with the Boks ranked number seven in the world – such a sad state of affairs!), cricket and golf

Hobbies: I joined the ‘parkrun family’ towards the end of 2016 and am really enjoying it

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: A Goldendoodle named Mowgli, an Amazon parrot named Figaro, 14 chickens (that I counted)

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Polystyrene (I cannot stand the stuff)

Married: To Mignon

Children: Joshua, 8; Lukas, 8; Simeon, 6; Benyah, 3

Clubs: St Cathryn’s Golf Club, Helderberg Residence Old Boys Club