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Allen Butcher

13th February 2015

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

  

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Full Name: Allen Richard Butcher

Position: GM of the Tweefontein Optmisation Project (TOP), a Glencore coal mining operation, since January 2012

Main Activity of the Company: Coal mining and marketing

Date and Place of Birth: April 18, 1969, Luton, England

Education: Sunward Park High, Boksburg, matric, 1986; BSc (mechanical engineering), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), 1991; Registered Professional Engineer, 1996; Government Certificate of Competence, 1997; BA, MBA and executive management diploma, Stellenbosch University, 2003; graduate diploma in engineering (mining), Wits, 2009

First Job: Engineer in training, Sishen iron-ore mine, 1992

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 850 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: The capital value of the TOP on completion in May or June will be more than R8-billion and thereafter the project's operational expenses will be about R3.5 billion a year

Number of People under Your Leadership: 750 full-time employees, and 2 500 contractors at peak construction

Management Style: Open, with firm direction and objective target setting; I enjoy robust discussion and dissent to a point and try to base the solution of any problem on logic; in a technical environment, fact-based consensus is invariably arrived at – people management needs a softer touch

Personal Best Achievement: The TOP to date

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Matie von Wielligh and Ben Alberts

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Thuli Madonsela

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Ivan Glasenberg

Philosophy of Life: Do everything with enthusiasm; live life to the fullest

Biggest Ever Opportunity: The high level of autonomy at the TOP

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not being good enough to play sport for a living

Hope for the Future: That South Africa, which has so much going for it, reaches its full potential

Favourite Reading: Fiction and technical publications – I read as much as I have time for

Favourite TV Programme: Game of Thrones

Favourite Food/Drink: Asian seafood/wine

Favourite Music: 1980s

Favourite Sport: Off-road motor cycling

Hobbies: Making and building things

Car: Mercedes-Benz ML

Pets: Two sausage dogs

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and incompetence

Married: To Henriette, for 17 years

Children: Maryke, 29; Heloise, 26; Rozanne, 26; Michael, 16

Clubs: Tweefontein Golf Club

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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