Full Name: Mike Seeger
Position: MD of MX Mining Capital Advisors
Main Activity of the Company: Mining investment advisory services
Date and Place of Birth: January 5, 1969, Johannesburg
Education: Deutsche Schule Johannesburg; Gymnasium Gilching, Germany; BSc (Eng) (Mining), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); MSc (Eng) (Mineral Economics), Wits; PhD on A Gameplan for Junior Mining Companies, Wits
First Job: Mining engineer in training (miner)
Size of First Pay Packet: R5 300 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not applicable when you raise capital for mining projects
Number of People under Your Leadership: Between 5 and 400, depending on the nature of the engagement
Management Style: The 20:80 principle, keep calm, discipline, art of delegation, action plan, feedback
Personal Best Achievement: Starting a mining company from ten PowerPoint slides through to developing a producing mine and listing it on a stock exchange – the ASX – Universal Coal
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father and my mother
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Richard Collins and Mike Smith
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Elon Musk
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Richard Branson
Philosophy of Life: Simplicity is key, less is more, take calculated risks to achieve
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Raising capital for several mining operations and projects across the African continent
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Being forced to liquidate a mining contracting company and retrench the staff and the workforce after Eskom cancelled the contract
Hope for the Future: That the world becomes environmentally sustainable for my children’s grandchildren
Favourite Reading: Tim Ferris’s Tools of the Titans
Favourite TV Programme: Homeland
Favourite Food/Drink: Weisswurst, brezel and weissbier
Favourite Music: U2, Coldplay, JJ Cale
Favourite Sport: Tennis, golf, gym
Hobbies: Family, renewable energy, travel, reading, FC Bayern Munich
Car: Toyota Fortuner 4 × 4
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Men of straw
Married: To Glenda
Children: Karsten, 19; Keenia, 17; Kessia, 7
Clubs/Organisation Memberships: Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, Engineering Council of South Africa, University of the Witwatersrand Mining Engineers Association