Full Name: Navin Singh

Position: Co-director, Mandela Mining Precinct; manager: mining and mineral resources, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) within the Natural Resources and the Environment Unit

Main Activity of the Company: Research, development and innovation

Date and Place of Birth: November 15, 1971, Durban, South Africa

Education: BSc (physics and applied physics), University of KwaZulu-Natal; Master in Engineering (mining), University of the Witwatersrand

First Job: Rock engineer, Western Areas gold mine, South Shaft

Size of First Pay Packet: R4 000 a month

Number of People under Your Leadership: Ten – the CSIR has more than 2 000 researchers

Management Style: Managing people through PRIDE: Professionalism – behave like a professional, Respect – respect others in order to be respected, Integrity – my word is my bond, Delivery – ensure you meet your deadlines, Excellence – always give the highest quality

Personal Best Achievement: My son, Kiran

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents and my sister

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My first bosses, Dr John James and Dr Martin Raffield

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Albert Einstein

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Terence Goodlace

Philosophy of Life: Be the change that you would like to see in the world. Imagine a family, a home, a community, a city, a province and a country doing something constructive and positive towards change

Biggest Ever Opportunity: There are two, and they are equally important. The first was designing a massive mining method for the South Deep gold mine, which was done using conventional mining methods and demonstrated that massive mining in a deep-level gold mine is possible. This mining method was published in a handbook for underground mining methods. The second is the development of the South African Mining, Extraction, Research and Development and Innovation – or SAMERDI – strategy, which led to the establishment of the Mandela Mining Precinct

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Being diagnosed as a diabetic

Hope for the Future: That South Africa (and the South African mining industry, in particular) realises its potential

Favourite Reading: Any novel from the Alex Cross series by James Patterson

Favourite TV Programme: The Walking Dead series and any nature series narrated by Sir David Attenborough

Favourite Food/Drink: Anything but broccoli

Favourite Music: Reggae – Bob Marley, in particular

Favourite Sport: Cricket and soccer

Hobbies: Fly-fishing

Car: Mercedes Benz

Pets: A four-year-old beagle named Dexter

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who drag their heels when they walk

Married: Divorced

Children: Kiran, 12

Clubs: None