Full Name: Albertus Abraham Visser
Position: GM: surface marketing at BME
Main Activity of the Company: Supply of explosives, technical services and blasting to the opencast mining sector
Date of Birth: June 25, 1970
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering; master’s degree in engineering management
First Job: Underground miner
Size of First Pay Packet: R1 300 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: R700-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 450
Management Style: Chaotic, a style of management that gives employees total control over the decision-making process but with definite direction
Personal Best Achievement: Building a team of individuals – every person in our team has his/her own personality and attributes that make us a team with a difference
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father – his advice was always: “My son, learn to crawl before you walk”
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Every person at BME who performs to the best of their ability is an example to me
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: There are so many that I simply cannot choose
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Anyone with more than 20 years’ senior management experience in production or business
Philosophy of Life: Enjoy the little things in life, like your child sleeping in your arms and the smell of a child’s hair. These small moments make life a string of small wonders
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Joining BME, a company that celebrates hard work, new ideas and entrepreneurship, and encourages you to be the best you can
Biggest Ever Disappointment: I feel that, as a country, we are losing our moral values
Hope for the Future: Leaders with high moral standards
Favourite Reading: Popular Mechanics, SA Hunter and fiction
Favourite TV Programme: Anything to do with restoring old cars or furniture
Favourite Food/Drink: Surf and turf, with wine (red or white)
Favourite Music: Blues
Favourite Sport: Rugby
Hobbies: Hunting, building café racers and vintage vehicles
Car: Ford Everest, perfect for my family of six
Pets: A cat, Staffies, and an African Grey
Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who do not think before they criticise
Married: To Dorette
Children: Andalé, 18; Gerrit, 15; Dawie, 7; Jahni, 5
Clubs: Harlequins Rugby Club, Southern Africa Arms and Ammunition Collectors Association, South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association