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Bernard Stern

9th October 2015

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

  

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Full Name: Bernard Stern

Position: Founder and CEO of Metal Concentrators, South Africa’s largest independent precious metals refinery

Main Activity of the Company: Refining precious metals for the secondary market, as well as supplying of precious metal products to the jewellery manufacturing industry and the South African market

Date and Place of Birth: November 29, 1953, East London

Education: Yeoville Boys Primary School, Athlone Boys High School, Wits Technikon – qualified as a physical metallurgist in 1972

First Job: Denver Metal Works, trainee metallurgist

Size of First Pay Packet: R600 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: The value of the company is about R400-million; turnover about R3.5-billion a year

Number of People under Your Leadership: Metal Concentrators employs 45 people

Management Style: We operate the business as a family business and encourage staff members to develop their potential to grow within the company. We feel that a more informal working environment has empowered and encouraged our staff to be committed to the full service and integrity that our clients have come to expect from the company

Personal Best Achievement: 2015 ABSA Businessman of the Year for an Unlisted Company

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Hilary. We have been together for 40 years and worked together for 25 years, launching Metal Concentrators together in 1989

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My original partner when we started the company over 25 years ago, Terry Manolitsis, and my wife Hilary

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Gordon Ramsay – he is a crazy maverick and I would love to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen with him. Maybe he could teach me to cook properly

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: There is no particular person, but I have the greatest respect for disabled businesspersons, whether they are dyslexic, blind, deaf or physically disabled

Philosophy of Life: Life is terribly short and it should be enjoyed with friends and family

Biggest Ever Opportunity: The opportunity to open my own business, Metal Concentrators

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Trust and integrity are everything to me. I feel most disappointed when putting that trust in people who then let me down along the way

Hope for the Future: That South Africa gets electricity

Favourite Reading: Thrillers or detective novels

Favourite TV Programme: Cooking programmes

Favourite Food/Drink: Hamburgers and whisky (especially single malt) and good wine and champagne

Favourite Music: Any good music, including good old rock‛n’roll and classical

Favourite Sport: Rugby, pool

Hobbies: Cooking, reading, gym (out of necessity)

Car: Maserati GTS

Pets: An African grey parrot that swears like a trooper and tends to be a little aggressive towards me

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Lack of integrity and dishonesty

Married: To Hilary

Children: Samara, 31; Hayley, 28

Clubs: None

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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