Full Name: Gerard Anthony Kisbey-Green
Position: CEO OF Goldplat plc
Main Activity of the Company: The recovery of gold and other metals from the by-products of mining and processing operations
Date and Place of Birth: April 3, 1962, Johannesburg, South Africa (Durban Deep gold mine)
Education: Matric, Welkom High School, Free State; BSc (mining engineering), University of the Witwatersrand, 1987
First Job: Onsetter on the Harmony gold mine
Size of First Pay Packet: R245 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: Goldplat has a market capitalisation on the London Aim of roughly £10-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: Roughly 450 employees
Management Style: Participative
Personal Best Achievement: Having the courage to move from mining into banking and later into exploration and finally back into mining — over 30 years — at times when each particular phase in my career was not serving me
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My two beautiful daughters
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Johan Botha, as mine manager of Freestate Saaiplaas, in the early 90s — he taught me invaluable lessons regarding people management skills and ‘back to basics’ mining
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Michael Schumacher, if he were to recover fully (which I sincerely hope for)
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Stephen Koseff, Investec
Philosophy of Life: Be happy, always — everything else will follow as it is meant to!
Biggest Ever Opportunity: When JPMorgan seconded me to work in the UK in 2004. This changed the lives of my entire family and was an incredibly broadening experience for us all
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not completing my MBA thesis, despite having passed all prerequisite courses
Hope for the Future: That sense prevails in South Africa and the downward spiral in the economy, infrastructure, health, welfare, education and poverty is arrested before it’s too late
Favourite Reading: Nonfiction — always reading The Book of Awakening, by Mark Nepo
Favourite TV Programme: I am into any ‘escapism’/pseudo-historic stuff, so Game of Thrones, Vikings, The Borgias
Favourite Food/Drink: ‘Arabic’ – be that West African or Middle Eastern; white wine, gin
Favourite Music: 70s and 80s. Getting into country and Western/bluegrass!
Favourite Sport: Cycling, sailing
Hobbies: Fly-fishing, exercise
Car: I have always been a BMW fan
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: ‘Me’ people, Brussels sprouts, football, traffic
Married: Now divorced after a 34-year partnership
Children: Lauren, 27; Kerryn, 24
Clubs: Country Club Johannesburg