https://www.miningweekly.com

Dirk Dijkstra

26th October 2018

     

Font size: - +

Full Name: Dirk Sjoerd Dijkstra

Position: GM and head of subregion: Southern Africa at Hilti South Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Power tools, fastening solutions, construction software and services

Date and Place of Birth: November 13, 1967, the Netherlands

Education: Bachelor of Business Administration, Nyenrode University, the Netherlands, 1991; MBA, University of Oregon, US, 1994

First Job: Management trainee at Van Leeuwen Pipe & Tube, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Career History Prior to Current Position: Management trainee, Van Leeuwen Pipe & Tube, the Netherlands, 1995; commercial manager, Van Leeuwen Pipe & Tube, the Netherlands, 1996 to1997; GM, Van Leeuwen Thailand, 1998 to 2002; GM: North-east, ThyssenKrupp AIN Plastics, US, 2002 to 2005; division manager: industry business, Hilti North America, US, 2006 to 2007; GM, Hilti South Africa, 2008 to 2012; GM and head of subregion: Southern Africa, Hilti South Africa, since 2013

Size of First Pay Packet: 48 000 Dutch guilders (equivalent to about €22 000)

First Job with Present Group: Division manager at Hilti in the US

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 260

Management Style: Coaching and supporting, but can be directive, where necessary. In the final analysis, there should not be one style – leadership is situational

Personal Best Achievement: Adopting our two girls in 2002

Professional Best Achievement: Turning Hilti South Africa around

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My sister – she is an amazing woman who has survived cancer four times and is always positive

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Mike Visser, my mentor at Van Leeuwen. He gave me my first career chances – you need a person that throws you in the deep end and stays with you

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Johan Cruijff – but it is too late

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sergio Marchionne

Philosophy of Life: People are good, and impossible is nothing

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Adopting our twin girls

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The Netherlands losing the final at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Hope for the Future: A South Africa that captures its immense opportunities

Favourite Reading: Jack Reacher books, by Lee Child

Favourite TV Programme: Peaky Blinders, sports

Favourite Food/Drink: Thai food

Favourite Music: 70s and 80s

Favourite Sport: Soccer (watching), squash (playing)

Favourite Website: nos.nl, a Dutch news site

Hobbies: Food, squash, golf

Car: VW Touareg

Pets: Goldfish

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Long-winded people, packing for travel

Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths

Favourite Foreign Company: Emirates – I use the airline a lot, and it takes good care of its passengers

Married: To Mireille Vogelsang, since September 20, 1996

Children: Twins Juliet and Jasmine, 16

Clubs: PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool, New England Patriots, Oregon Ducks

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION