Full Name: Orhovelani Oriel Shikwambana

Position and Company Name: Operations manager of the Elikhulu operation of Evander Gold Mining, a subsidiary of Pan African Resources

Main Activity: Management of the Elikhulu tailings retreatment operation

Date and Place of Birth: January 3, 1977, in Mafarana village, Tzaneen, Limpopo province

Education: BSc (chemical engineering) and MBL

First Job: Graduate metallurgist, in 1999, at AngloGold Ashanti’s Free State Operation, in Welkom

Size of First Pay Packet: R4 500 a month

Career Path to Date: Metallurgist (operations), process engineer (engineering design and project management), director, operations manager

Value of Assets under Your Control: Revenues of more than R1-billion a year

Number of People under Your Leadership: 400, including contractors

Management Style: Democratic – to a large extent

Personal Best Achievement: The successful commissioning of the Elikhulu project, despite all the challenges we encountered, definitively ranks as my biggest most recent achievement

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late mother – she taught me to be focused and humble and to always appreciate the little – or plenty – that I have

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Stephen Flatman, who mentored me during my early years in an operations environment, and Neill Birdsey, who mentored me to management

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Lionel Messi, for his excellence in sport

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Patrice Motsepe

Philosophy of Life: Do not chase many rabbits at the same time, because you end up catching none

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Moving from the operations environment in 2005 to engineering design has completely transformed my career

Biggest Ever Disappointment: When, as part of Basil Read, we closed Basil Read Matomo down in 2015

Hope for the Future: That we continue to develop Elikhulu into a flagship operation for Pan African Resources

Favourite Reading: John Maxwell’s books on leadership

Favourite TV Programme: Supersport

Favourite Food/Drink: Lamb

Favourite Music: Gospel music

Favourite Sport: Soccer

Hobbies: Cooking

Car: Audi Q7

Pets: African grey named Codi

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Being late for anything, especially meetings

Married: To Judean

Children: Jemima, 13; Ripfumelo, 11; Orahlee, 8

Clubs: FC Barcelona