Full Name: Jan du Plessis
Position: Chairperson of the boards of Rio Tinto since April 2009
Main Activity of Company: Finding, mining and processing mineral resources
Date and Place of Birth: January 22, 1954, Cape Town
Education: Milnerton High School, Cape Town, matric, 1971; BCom, LLB, CA (SA), Stellenbosch University, 1973 to 1977
First Job: Articled clerk
Size of First Pay Packet: R330 a month before deductions Remuneration: $1 240 000 in 2013, down from $1 334 000 in 2012 (Rio Tinto Remuneration Report 2013)
Value of Assets: Rio Tinto’s market capitalisation was $79.2-billion at the time of going to press (source:Bloomberg)
Number of Rio Tinto Employees: 66 000 people in 2013, down from 106 000 in 2008, working in more than 40 countries
Currently Held Positions: I will step down as nonexecutive director of Marks & Spencer plc in the first half of 2015 to become chairperson of SABMiller
Previously Held Positions: Nonexecutive chairperson, British American Tobacco; nonexecutive director, Lloyds TSB Group,
Management Style: Down to earth, informal
Personal Best Achievement: Chairpersonship of Rio Tinto
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Thys Roux
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: I had the great privilege of meeting Nelson Mandela (as at May 2011)
Person Who Has Impressed You Most: Dr Anton Rupert
Business Philosophy: Keep things as simple as you possibly can
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Chairpersonship of Rio Tinto
Biggest ever Disappointment: I do not have any disappointments
Favourite Book: Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, Long Walk To Freedom
Favourite TV Programme: Other than sport, I do not watch TV
Favourite Food/Drink: My parents taught me how to drink wine from a very young age, but I have no particular food preference
Favourite Music: I like all sorts of music
Favourite Sport: South African rugby, English soccer
Hobbies: Golf, skiing
Car: Mercedes-Benz Estate (as at May 2011)
Pets: Labrador
Dislikes: Loud music
Clubs: Beaconsfield Golf Club, Buckinghamshire, England