Full Name: Themba Moyeni Mkhwanazi

Position: CEO Anglo American Coal South Africa, since May 2014

Main Activity of the Company: Coal mining

Date and Place of Birth: January 8, 1970, Mbabane, Swaziland

Education: Golden Hillock and Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School, Birmingham, UK, 1981 to 1988; BEng (Hon) Chem Eng, University of Teesside, Cleveland, UK, 1993

First Job: Assistant process engineer, Sasol Alpha Olefins, Secunda, 1994

Size of First Pay Packet: R4 800 a month

Brief Career Path: Positions have ranged from process engineer at Sasol, shift plant manager, business improvement senior coach, plant manager, area manager and MD of Huntsman Tioxide; COO Richards Bay Minerals; GM expansion support and regional GM technology and innovation at Rio Tinto

Value of Assets under Your Control: About R20-billion (book value), about R50-billion (replacement)

Number of People under Your Leadership: 15 000 to 16 000 employees, including contractors

Management Style: Inspirational and authoritative, articulating a compelling vision, seeking alignment of ideas and goals, providing role clarity and simplicity, setting high performance standards, holding people accountable for good and poor performance and thus creating a highly engaged and focused environment that is stimulating, is characterised by a high degree of trust, and is productive and fun, where people truly maximise their potential

Personal Best Achievement: Being appointed CEO of Anglo Coal South Africa

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents, who went into political exile in 1963 to fight apartheid, and my siblings for their boundless support

People Who Have Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: John Billington, former Huntsman Tioxide Southern Africa MD; George Deyzel, former Richards Bay Minerals MD; and Tom Albanese, former Rio Tinto CEO and current Vedanta Resources CEO

People You Would Most Like to Meet: Dr Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Laureate, who showed that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development, and Dr Mohamed ‘Mo’ Ibrahim, whose foundation supports good governance and exceptional leadership in Africa

Businesspeople Who Have Impressed You Most: Jack Welsh, Koos Bekker and Indra Nooyi

Philosophy of Life: Nothing’s impossible

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Going to university to study engineering

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not having the opportunity to get to know my grandparents

Hope for the Future: That South Africa becomes a leading global economy

Favourite Reading: Inspirational and leadership books by authors such as Stephen R Covey, Ken Blanchard, Don Miguel Ruiz, OG Mandino and Viktor E Frankl

Favourite TV Programme: BBC Nature by Sir David Attenborough and Come Dine with Me, by comedian Dave Lamb

Favourite Food/Drink: Roast chicken and lemon cheesecake/ a glass of Barossa Valley Shiraz

Favourite Music: R&B and classical

Favourite Sport: Soccer

Hobbies: Trekking and mountain biking in national parks, watching natural history and anthropology documentaries, gardening and collecting cycads

Car: Mercedes Benz C Class

Pets: Don’t have any pets at the moment but planning to get a Yorkshire or Norfolk terrier

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Prima donnas and individuals who make excuses for not wanting to take responsibility for their actions

Married: To Faith (née Mzimela) for 19 years

Children: Two boys, Khwani, 17, and Wandi, 15

Clubs: None