Full Name: Chris Botha

Position: MD of Aveng Grinaker-LTA

Main Activity of the Company: Aveng Grinaker-LTA is a multidisciplinary construction and engineering group anchored in South Africa, with experience and expertise spanning a number of market sectors, including public infrastructure, power, commercial, retail, industrial, mining infrastructure, oil and gas

Date and Place of Birth: July 1972

Education: University of Stellenbosch, BEng (civil), 1995

First Job: Batch plant operator at the Modimola dam project

Career History Prior to Current Position: Most recently, COO at Murray & Roberts Construction

Size of First Pay Packet: R60 a day

First Job with Present Group: My current position

Value of Assets under Your Control: R600-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 7 400 directly employees across Southern Africa

Management Style: Sharing and delegating responsibility

Personal Best Achievement: Meeting my wife, Marinda, and the birth of our two children

Professional Best Achievement: My appointment as MD of Aveng Grinaker-LTA

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Denise Thorpe

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Frik Venter, a former MD

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barrack Obama

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Brian Joffe, CE and founder of the Bidvest group

Philosophy of Life: Optimism – change and improvement are possible

Biggest Ever Opportunity: My offer of employment, as an estimating director, to a high-performance management team at Concor Roads & Earthworks in 2003

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Every time someone is prepared to sacrifice his or her integrity

Hope for the Future: A better and developed Africa

Favourite Reading: Conn Iggulden

Favourite TV Programme: Master Chef and sports channels

Favourite Food/Drink: Pizza/red wine

Favourite Music: Matchbox 20

Favourite Sport: Golf, cricket and rugby

Favourite Website: Wikipedia

Hobbies: Construction

Car: Toyota Prado

Pets: A cat, Border Collie, and two Cocker Spaniels

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonest people

Favourite Other South African Company: Naspers

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple

Married: To Marinda for ten years

Children: Madison and Calvin

Clubs: Irene Country Club