Full Name: Michelle Jenkins
Position and Company Name: Executive: finance and administration (South Africa), Orion Minerals
Main Activity of the Company: Mining and exploration
Date and Place of Birth: April 2, Pretoria, South Africa
Education: CA (SA); BAcc Sc (Hons), University of South Africa; BSc (Hons) (geology), University of the Witwatersrand
First Job: Well-site geologist at Soekor (now called Petra SA)
Size of First Pay Packet: R700 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: A$66-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 50
Management Style: High energy and leading by example – I also do not micromanage
Personal Best Achievement: Successfully concluding a mining convention in 2015 with the government of Côte d’Ivoire after nine months of negotiation
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My maternal grandmother, who taught me about the strength of women
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Rob Still – he taught me about business
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, for breaking the stereotypes and being a fierce individual that lives on her own terms
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. She is not your typical Ivy League woman with an MBA – she is a woman with an attitude and an aptitude for business and people. From humble beginnings, she overcame tremendous personal hardships and disadvantages to become one of the world’s most inspiring CEOs
Philosophy of Life: The question isn’t who is going to let me – it’s who is going to stop me. Be fearless
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Moving to Johannesburg to work for KPMG
Biggest Ever Disappointment: The demise of Taurus Gold
Hope for the Future: That I complete everything I set out to accomplish
Favourite Reading: My favourite book of all time is Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. I first read it when I was 20 and have read it again regularly over the years
Favourite TV Programme: The Daily Show, with our very own Trevor Noah, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Favourite Food/Drink: Ginger, chilli and lemon tuna and a glass of brut champagne
Favourite Music: I have a very eclectic taste in music, which includes contemporary music, African music, West African music, the blues and more blues, French music, classic rock, hard rock, classical music, jazz, Kings of Leon and the evergreen Van Morrison
Favourite Sport: Running
Hobbies: Painting, learning and speaking French
Car: Lexus Land Cruiser
Pets: We have a crazy boxer dog called Rosie
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Racism, chauvinism and people who play the victim card
Married: To Guy
Children: Rhys, 24; Nicholas, 18
Clubs: None