Full Name: Brian Patrick Gilbertson
Position: Founder of Pallinghurst Resources
Main Activity of the Company: Resources investments
Date and Place of Birth: August 15, 1943, George, Western Cape
Education: Hoërskool Bothaville, Free State, 1960; MSc, Rhodes University, 1969: MBL, 1973
First Job: National Institute of Defence Research, CSIR, 1965
Size of First Pay Packet: No idea, but it was insufficient by far
First Job with Present Group: Executive chairperson
Value of Assets under Your Control: $1.5-billion market capitaliation
Career History Prior to Current Position: Gencor, executive chair, 1992 to 1997; Billiton, executive chair, 1997 to 2001; BHP Billiton, CEO, 2001 to Monday, January 6, 2003; consultant to Lonmin, 2003; Vedanta Resources, 2003 to 2004; Sual, 2004 to 2006
Number of People under Your Leadership: On a good day, my PA, probably
Management Style: Friendly, consultative, quantitative
Personal Best Achievement: Completing the Nashua road marathon
Professional Best Achievement: The merger of BHP and Billiton
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My high school maths teacher
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: The faceless one who determined the pay scales in my first job; hence, my ambition to improve
People You Would Most Like to Meet: I’ve met ‘em all and I don’t like ‘em
Businesspeople Who Have Impressed You Most: Gordon Waddell, Derek Keys
Philosophy of Life: When in doubt, move the queen
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Chairmanship of Gencor
Biggest Disappointment: My time for the Nashua marathon
Hope for the Future: Peace, prosperity, goodwill among men
Favourite Reading: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Favourite TV Programme: None
Favourite Food/Drink: Italian/Negroni
Favourite Music: Goldberg variations
Favourite Sport: Tennis, some cycling
Car: Very old Porsche
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Personal interviews like this one
Favourite Other South African Company: None
Favourite Other Foreign Company: BHP Billiton
Married: To Rensche (née Fouche), 1970
Children: Sean and Quinton, both adults
Clubs: None