Full Name: Leon Furstenburg
Position: MD of Knight Piesold
Main Activity of the Company: People management
Date and Place of Birth: November 1957, Johannesburg
Education: MSc in water engineering, BSc in civil engineering
First Job: Engineer in training in the design branch of the then Johannesburg City Council
Size of First Pay Packet: I cannot remember – about R400 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: $100-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 850 worldwide, of whom some 170 are in Southern Africa
Management Style: Participative, open-door policy
Personal Best Achievement: Marrying Sandy
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Not sure, actually
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: The late Professor Desmond Midgley
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: No specific person at the moment
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Steve Jobs
Philosophy of Life: Live and let live
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Becoming a partner in Watermeyer, Legge, Piesold & Uhlmann, now Knight Piesold
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Having to retrench some staff at one stage
Hope for the Future: That there is a good education system in South Africa that will finally set its people free
Favourite Reading: I read all sorts of things, ranging from business books to esoteric literature
Favourite TV Programme: I do not watch much television but probably something complex and educational like Top Gear
Favourite Food/Drink: I eat almost anything
Favourite Music: Anything by Queen
Favourite Sport: I used to play squash
Hobbies: Cabinet-making
Car: Audi
Pets: Two Labradors and two cats
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Opinionated people
Married: To Dr Sandy Wise
Children: Three mine and three Sandy’s: Leanne and Julia (29), Francois and Matthew (27), Sandra and Kyle (25) – quite a team!
Clubs: None