Full Name: Marc Struik
Position: CEO of BSGR Mining & Metals, a division of BSG Resources
Main Activity of the Company: Exploration, mining, mergers and acquisitions
Date and Place of Birth: Nijmegen, the Netherlands, June 26, 1958
Education: MSc (mining engineering), Technical University Delft, the Netherlands
First Job: Graduate in training, Koffiefontein diamond mine, 1988
Size of First Pay Packet: R2 400 a month (1988)
Career History Prior to Current Position: I spent 11 years with De Beers Consolidated Mines, followed by six years of mining consultancy with Snowden Mining Industry Consultants (during the last four of which I was GM of the Johannesburg office) and then two years as COO of BSGR, before being promoted to CEO in May 2007
First Job with Present Group: COO
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: I have an advisory role to our group of companies, of which BSGR is a major shareholder or owns outright
Management Style: A mix between executive, benevolent, autocrat and developer
Personal Best Achievement: Achieving 90% for my MSc thesis and receiving (at the time) the highest financial award from Ruhrkohle (the largest German coal mining group) for a thesis
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late father and my wife, Jennifer
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: There have been a few
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: No one in particular, but there are a few
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Same as above
Philosophy of Life: If you never ask, you never get
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Emigrating in 1988 and travelling the world ever since
Biggest Ever Disappointment: The recent passing of my father and my father-in-law
Hope for the Future: That the current world volatility will pass and that, in the end, reason and logic will prevail. This might, however, not be without some sacrifice
Favourite Reading: Fiction and nonfiction. I am currently reading two books: Taking the Stand: My life in the law, by Alan Dershowitz, and Montaillou, Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294–1324, by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
Favourite TV Programme: Game of Thrones (actually, the only series I have ever watched), a good movie, and analytical news programmes
Favourite Food/Drink: Thai, fusion and Italian, but I like a good steak too. Regarding drinks, I like a good wine and enjoy malt whisky
Favourite Music: I do not like sakkie-sakkie . . . almost everything else goes – from classic to modern
Favourite Sport: Rugby, boxing, athletics and skiing
Favourite Website: None
Hobbies: Working out in the gym, and playing the drums and the bass guitar
Car: Infinity G37S Coupe and a Saab93 Cabriolet
Pets: Two dachshunds
Miscellaneous Dislikes: I cannot stand snobs, uncouth and arrogant people and I certainly cannot stand fanatics
Favourite Other South African Company: None
Favourite Foreign Company: None
Married: To Jennifer, since June 12, 2004
Children: We have five between us: Cari, 32; Marc, 28; Vivian, 25; Stephen, 24; and Yvette, 23
Clubs: Planet Fitness Platinum, Sandton