Full Name: Albertus Abraham Visser

Position: GM: surface marketing at BME

Main Activity of the Company: Supply of explosives, technical services and blasting to the opencast mining sector

Date of Birth: June 25, 1970

Education: Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering; master’s degree in engineering management

First Job: Underground miner

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 300 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: R700-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 450

Management Style: Chaotic, a style of management that gives employees total control over the decision-making process but with definite direction

Personal Best Achievement: Building a team of individuals – every person in our team has his/her own personality and attributes that make us a team with a difference

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father – his advice was always: “My son, learn to crawl before you walk”

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Every person at BME who performs to the best of their ability is an example to me

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: There are so many that I simply cannot choose

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Anyone with more than 20 years’ senior management experience in production or business

Philosophy of Life: Enjoy the little things in life, like your child sleeping in your arms and the smell of a child’s hair. These small moments make life a string of small wonders

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Joining BME, a company that celebrates hard work, new ideas and entrepreneurship, and encourages you to be the best you can

Biggest Ever Disappointment: I feel that, as a country, we are losing our moral values

Hope for the Future: Leaders with high moral standards

Favourite Reading: Popular Mechanics, SA Hunter and fiction

Favourite TV Programme: Anything to do with restoring old cars or furniture

Favourite Food/Drink: Surf and turf, with wine (red or white)

Favourite Music: Blues

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Hobbies: Hunting, building café racers and vintage vehicles

Car: Ford Everest, perfect for my family of six

Pets: A cat, Staffies, and an African Grey

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who do not think before they criticise

Married: To Dorette

Children: Andalé, 18; Gerrit, 15; Dawie, 7; Jahni, 5

Clubs: Harlequins Rugby Club, Southern Africa Arms and Ammunition Collectors Association, South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association