Full Name: Jerry White

Position: Marketing consultant, Northam Platinum

Main Activity of the Company: Mine-to-market platinum group metals producer

Date and Place of Birth: September 16, 1957, London, England

Education: Brighton Grammar School; Wits Technikon, metalliferrous mining; University of the Witwatersrand, BA (Hons), (economics and psychology), MBA; University of London, MSc (biodiversity conservation); University of Cambridge, MSc (sustainability leadership)

First Job: Kitchen hand at a Butlins holiday camp in sunny south England

Size of First Pay Packet: One hot meal and £3 a day

Management Style: Situational, participative, consultative

Personal Best Achievement: Passing Latin at school

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents – free spirits in a buttoned-up postwar world. My wife – ever supportive and enthusiastic

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Probably me

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: That idiot in the call centre

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Paul Polman, Unilever CEO – an inspirational visionary

Philosophy of Life: Still working on my thoughts – we all get there in the end

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Ticking the boxes on an endless bucket list

Biggest Ever Disappointment: ‘And Smith must score . . .’ But he didn’t. Gordon Smith fluffing a certain winner for Brighton in the dying minutes of the 1983 FA Cup Final against Manchester United at Wembley

Hope for the Future: Less plastic, more wilderness, cleaner oceans, fewer endangered species

Favourite Reading: Travel writing, modern history, Kipling poetry, selected biographies

Favourite TV Programmes: Historical documentaries, sport, situational comedy

Favourite Food/Drink: Hunger is the best sauce. Authentic local cuisine, wherever in the world

Favourite Music: Those good ol’ 70s and 80s classics, UB40, Dire Straits, Eagles, Simply Red, David Bowie, Elton John – the list goes on

Favourite Sports: I enjoy them all, especially the big occasion. Traditional favourites – rugby, football, cricket

Hobbies: Scuba diving, conservation, writing

Favourite Car: My old red VW Golf – gotta keep up with the Joneses

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Rap, bad sportsmen, control freaks, avarice

Married: To Marinda

Clubs: RAC, Reef to Reef Scuba Club