Full Name: Adrian Gale
Position: Outgoing GM of the Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines, Debswana
Main Activity of the Company: Diamond mining
Date and Place of Birth: December 19, 1950, Devon, England
Education: BSc (Hons) and PhD, Kings College, University of London
First Job: Roan Consolidated Mines, Zambia, 1976
Size of First Pay Packet: Better than what I would have received in the UK at the time
Value of Assets under Your Control: Significant – three mines, five pits, four plants, a town . . .
Number of People under Your Leadership: About 5 000, plus a town of 12 000, an airport and a game park; besides being GM, I am also the executive town mayor
Management Style: Open – I give subordinates trust and room to grow; I am also analytical, demanding but consistent and always fair
Personal Best Achievement: Raising a great family
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Probably my mother – strong, generous and always supportive
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Those CEOs who allowed me to get on with running my area of responsibility: John Aird (formerly with Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines), Roger Agnelli (formerly with Vale), Mark Cutifani (formerly with Inco), Jim Gowans (formerly with Debswana)
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Vladimir Putin, to find out why
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Recently, Nicky Oppenheimer – he is successful, yet humble
Philosophy of Life: Live by your values, say what you believe, leave an impeccable legacy
Biggest Ever Opportunity: I could have married into a shipping dynasty when I was 18, but wanted to beat my own path
Biggest Ever Disappointment: I have been an MD and a COO, but would have liked to be a CEO – I would have revolutionised the management textbooks
Hope for the Future: That the UK gets out of the European Union and partners Canada, Australia, Nordica, New Zealand and Iceland, plus, maybe, Japan and an Asian country, to form a fourth economic, shared trade group – a new Commonwealth
Favourite Reading: Dan Brown-type books – compelling, historical, informative and hard to put down
Favourite TV Programme: Action movies, NCIS: Los Angeles
Favourite Food/Drink: Italian/good French wine
Favourite Music: 1960s, 1970s, Queen and good Pop
Favourite Sport: Rugby Union, Formula One Grand Prix
Hobbies: Game viewing, saving endangered species
Car: Range Rover and SL55AMG Mercedes Benz
Pets: Several cats
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Ambition without true talent
Married: To Suzanne
Children: Kate, 37; Alex, 35; Christina, 31
Clubs: Harlequins UK, debenture holder at Twickenham, Rugby Football Union – I have tickets for the 2015 World Cup Final