Full Name: Dean Herbert Taylor

Position: CEO of Diamcor

Main Activity of the Company: Diamond mining

Date and Place of Birth: September 9, 1964, Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada

Education: I tried civil engineering, but realised it was not for me. Experience is the best school, and risking your own money along the way is a big motivation for learning quickly

First Job: Paper route (2): 177 papers and 152 papers

Size of First Pay Packet: I cannot remember, but it was enough to teach me I could get what I wanted if I worked hard

Value of Assets under Your Control: $40-million market capitalisation and growing

Number of People under Your Leadership: About ten and they manage many more indirectly – hopefully, with the same respect and values I do with them

Management Style: Surround yourself with good people, expect results and reward your people when they achieve them; never respond or make a decision until you have thought it through

Personal Best Achievement: My wife and my daughter

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents, my wife and my daughter, and the key people who work for me

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I have to say the many lawyers, accountants and successful businesspeople who have taught me so much over 20 years

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Bill Clinton

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Warren Buffett – I guess because he is self-made, with no real degrees, but, really, many businesspeople I know who have become successful through hard work and dedication

Philosophy of Life: Think positive, and positive things will happen

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Diamcor and the opportunities the future is sure to bring

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing my brother so early in his life to cancer

Hope for the Future: Business – economic stability and growth; personal – health, happiness and success for family, friends and employees

Favourite Reading: Currently many of the mining magazines and online publications to see what we are doing in comparison with others, and how others are doing things which are successful

Favourite TV Programme: BNN, CNN, Discovery, and I like to watch the final day of PGA and WGC events when I can

Favourite Food/Drink: Italian food/red wine

Favourite Music: Blues/modern

Favourite Sport: Hockey and golf

Hobbies: Golf and work

Car: BMWs

Pets: Two cats, Ricco and Romeo

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Lazy people, negative people and losing at anything

Married: To Linda for 20-plus years

Children: Alissa, 22

Clubs: Club captain at Gallaghers Canyon, Kelowna, for six years