Full Name: Keith Douglas Scott

Position: MD of MSA

Main Activity of the Company: Geology, mining and environmental consulting

Date and Place of Birth: December 18, 1972, Windhoek, Namibia

Education: Honours degree in geology, University of the Witwatersrand

First Job: Late-night pharmacy sales assistant

Size of First Pay Packet: R800 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: R100-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 60

Management Style: Trusting and hands-off – easy and appropriate when you have excellent managers and staff working for you

Personal Best Achievement: Leading 60 outstanding mining and management professionals

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Lisa

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My father, Mike, also a geologist

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Deceased, Oscar Wilde; living, Boris Johnson

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Warren Buffett – business cycles do not scare or stall him; he takes advantage of them and stays the course

Philosophy of Life: Insatiable curiosity and optimism

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Apart from meeting and marrying my wife Lisa, building MSA into what it is today

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Holding onto my mining stocks for too long

Hope for the Future: That South Africa becomes a great place for all of our children to live in

Favourite Reading: Fiction – John le Carré and his ilk; nonfiction – The Economist, mining publications and mining websites

Favourite TV Programme: Ever, Blackadder and Sopranos; current, Game of Thrones and Newsroom

Favourite Food/Drink: Asian (Thai/Vietnamese/Japanese)/Guinness

Favourite Music: The darker side of 90s pop/rock and older – The Cure, Morrissey

Favourite Sport: To watch, tennis; to participate in, rowing (have not been in a boat for many years – now using an ergometer)

Hobbies: Fly-fishing, occasional horse riding

Car: 2007 VW Golf – it is paid for and no one wants it

Pets: Three cats, three dogs, two horses and a lot of Koi

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Confidence without ability, lying politicians, apple-flavoured sweets

Married: To Lisa Marie

Children: Morgan Jane, soon to be 4

Clubs: None