Full Name: Ian Timothy Harebottle
Position: CEO-designate of Kropz – CEO from March 28, 2018
Main Activity of the Company: Exploration, mine development, mining of fertiliser feed minerals; the company is striving to develop a vertically integrated fertiliser manufacturing capability, producing a progressive range of plant nutrients for the sub-Saharan Africa agriculture industry
Date and Place of Birth: Johannesburg, October 29, 1962
Education: Germiston High School, matric, 1980; Technikon Witwatersrand, 1985; Henley Management College, 1994
First Job: I tried to work most holidays and on many weekends throughout my school and tertiary learning days; jobs ranged from door-to-door encyclopedia sales to general reception/office work and deliveries, washing cars and replacing my neighbour's brake pads
Size of First Pay Packet: Just enough to see us through the weekend
Brief Career History: Retail eye care (ten years), HIV-Aids consulting, research and support for a number of South Africa's largest corporations, including Telkom and Eskom, and most of the mining companies (five years), Tanzanite One (eight years), Gemfields (eight years)
Value of Assets: Kropz is investing $120-million in the Elandsfontein phosphates mining and processing project, on the West Coast of South Africa
Number of People under Your Leadership: 15 employees, a complement that is set to grow with the commissioning of production to over 400 at Elandsfontein
Management Style: Open, interactive, encouraging, motivating and transparent
View of Mining Industry: I love the mining industry. It is a big, small family. When you look around, a large portion of what you see is thanks to mining
Approach to Business: Underpromise, overdeliver and then keep on delivering
Personal Best Achievement: My marriage and family
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My father and two older brothers, each of whom had very strong views on values, family, business, and so on, and played a formative part in my life
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Elon Musk – innovative, disruptive and inspirational
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Christo Wiese – despite how busy he is and how large his business empire has become, he always has time for the 'little guys', has always been humble and is a fountain of wisdom
Philosophy of Life: Treat others as you would like to be treated; do the best you can and then leave the rest to God
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Every new day
Biggest Ever Disappointment: That time keeps going faster and faster and that I never seem to have enough of it to do all I want to do
Hope for the Future: Live, love life, explore, learn, grow
Favourite Reading: The convenience of technology is incredible – with a vast array of books and genres readily accessible online all the time, it is hard to keep up and I am always reading more than one at any given time
Favourite TV Programme: I do not have much time for TV, but, when I do, I love anything to do with cars, science, technology and Formula One
Favourite Food/Drink: I am not fussy – thank goodness for that, as I am a horrible cook. Thankfully, my wife and both my sons are excellent cooks
Favourite Music: Anything but rap
Favourite Sport: Rugby
Hobbies: Keeping my 30-year-old Porsche in tip-top condition, track-days and off-road motorcycling (when I get a chance, but, sadly, not so much of late)
Car: 1988 Porsche 911
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Laziness
Married: To Leigh-Ann
Children: Matthew, 24; Daniel, 20
Clubs: None