Full Name: Gert Christoffel Kühn
Position: Head of Venetia Underground project, De Beers Consolidated Mines
Main Activity of the Company: The De Beers group of companies undertakes diamond exploration, diamond mining, diamond retailing, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing
Date and Place of Birth: August 8, 1978, Pretoria
Education: Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and project management
First Job: My first proper salaried job was as junior engineer at Gold Fields. However, while I was doing my master’s, I was part of a team of guys who started building sailplanes, or gliders. The rest of the team went on to establish a successful company called Jonker Sailplanes, which is based in Potchefstroom
Size of First Pay Packet: I can remember that it was definitely less than that of my wife’s, who was a teacher at that stage. So, it must have been about R4 500 to R5 000 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: $2.1-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: About 650 (including contractors)
Management Style: Participative – I strive to always be a servant leader
Personal Best Achievement: My marriage and having two beautiful daughters
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: I learn something important from everyone I meet. Often, I have learnt the most from people who have worked under me
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Stuart Allan
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sam Walsh
Philosophy of Life: Ek lewe om te leef, nie leef om te lewe (I live to live, not live to merely just exist)
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being appointed head of the Venetia Underground project development
Biggest Ever Disappointment: None
Hope for the Future: That many good things occur
Favourite Reading: Outdoor magazines and autobiographies
Favourite TV Programme: Lost (TV series)
Favourite Food/Drink: Any food and whiskey
Favourite Music: I like a range of music genres, including jazz, classical and new age
Favourite Sport: Cricket
Hobbies: Golf, 4 × 4 off-roading, hiking, mountain biking, gliding and spending time with my family
Car: Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series
Pets: Aquarium fish and a Bearded Dragon
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Aggressive, destructive people who often tend not to be very supportive
Married: Happily married to Ria
Children: Two daughters aged 9 and 2
Organisational Membership: Project Management South Africa, Association of Mine Resident Engineers of South Africa and the Engineering Council of South Africa