Full Name: Graham Robert Herbert
Position: MD of Teba
Main Activity of Company: Serving mines and mineworkers in the gold and platinum sectors
Year and Place of Birth: 1964, Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal
Education: Matric, Michaelhouse, 1981; BSc, University of Cape Town (UCT), 1985; MBChB (UCT), 1990; Pew Research Fellowship, Cambridge, 1995 and 1996; AMP, Harvard, 2005
First Job: Medical intern, Ernest Oppenheimer Hospital, Welkom, 1991
Size of First Pay Packet: About R5 400 a month
First Job with Present Group: AngloGold Rural Health Initiative – GPS registration of mineworkers’ homes and determination of their families’ needs
Career History Prior to Present Position: Ernest Oppenheimer Hospital, 1991; SAMS, 1992; Anglo American Corporation, 1993 and 1994; AngloGold Rural Health Initiative, 1995 to 1999; Teba, 2000 to present
Value of Assets under Your Control: Teba had a turnover of roughly R200-million in 2013
Number of People under Your Leadership: 600
Management Style: I try to listen carefully and lead by example. Technically speaking, I am a consultative leader and, secondly, a directive leader, but you should check with my colleagues!
Personal Best Achievement: Marrying Sally Jackson
Professional Best Achievement: Transforming Teba from a club of the mining industry to a profitable services business
The Biggest Influence on My Life: My relationship with Jesus Christ
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on My Career: James Motlatsi
People You Would Most Like to Meet: CS Lewis or any world chess champion
Businessperson Who Impresses You the Most: Any businessperson courageous enough to manage with absolute integrity
Philosophy of Life: To fulfil God’s purpose for my life
Biggest Ever Opportunity: The Teba black economic-empowerment deal and creation of a 25% employee trust with James Motlatsi
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not getting support in 2001 and 2002 from the mining industry for the Teba rural development initiative
Hope for the Future: That we pay a sustainable dividend to Teba employees, use Teba’s resources to help mineworkers (both current and past) and their families to reverse the hardship created by migrancy, and the transformation of the South African economy
Favourite Reading: Biographies, classics, African literature, and reading to my last-born child
Favourite TV Programmes: Sport, wildlife and history
Favourite Food/Drink: Bacon, banana, and chilli pizza/Windhoek Light
Favourite Music: Classical, jazz, and 80s
Favourite Sport: Playing tennis and watching my children play any sport
Car: Toyota Hilux double-cab (2 X 4), 2000 model
(Children’s) Pets: Two Labradors, two rabbits, and several fish
Dislikes: Greed and dishonesty
Favourite Other South African Company: Bean There, for its great coffee and fair trade agreements with African farmers
Favourite Foreign Company: Cadbury, for its global role in corporate governance and industrial relations (and for making the best whole-nut chocolate in the world!)
Married: To Sally (née Jackson), since 1993
Children: Georgina, 17; Michael, 14; Katherine, 10
Clubs: Country Club Johannesburg