Full Name: Paul Martin Joseph Gardner Thomson

Position: CEO of DRA Group Holdings

Main Activity of the Company: Engineering and projects management services in the mining industry

Date and Place of Birth: July 21, 1962, Tunbridge Wells, England

Education: Basic education at various schools in Natal, rounded off with a Transvaal matric at Settlers Agricultural High School, followed by a national diploma in nuclear technology and a BEng (metallurgy) from the University of Pretoria

First Job: Learner technician at the Atomic Energy Corporation, Pelindaba

Size of First Pay Packet: R5 000 a month

Number of People Under Your Leadership: DRA employs 3 000 people

Management Style: Participative, empowering subordinates

Personal Best Achievement: My family is my best achievement – they provide me with support, pride and balance

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, who supported our family while I studied

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: An operator at Palabora Mining Company, who taught me that you can learn from everyone if you just listen, and Brian Dowding, founder of DRA, who trusted me to run Minopex

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Any of the Apollo astronauts that are still alive

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Bill Gates, who all started with nothing but had belief in what they were doing and thus changed the world

Philosophy of Life: A combination of do unto others as you would have done to you and live and let live

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Leading DRA

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Disappointments are only short in nature – you need to accept the disappointment and focus on an achievable future

Hope for the Future: That government starts focusing on creating an enabling environment for business so that real growth and transformation can take place

Favourite Reading: Dan Brown and John Grisham

Favourite TV Programme: Any British detective series

Favourite Food/Drink: A good steak/whisky

Favourite Music: 60s and 70s rock with a dash of Pink Floyd

Favourite Sport: I love watching all sports but draw the line at darts and snooker. Although I love sports, I am not very skilled in any one sport

Hobbies: DIY at home and offroad/overland touring

Car: Toyota Prado

Pets: Four Yorkshire terriers, one Airedale terrier and three cats

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who think that they are ‘bigger than the game’

Married: To Isabel, for 28 years this year

Children: Nicolas, 26; Justin, 21; Aimee, 17

Clubs: None