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Rowan Karstel

27th October 2017

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

     

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Full Name: Rowan Aubrey Karstel

Position: Interim CEO of Buffalo Coal

Main Activity of the Company: Coal exploration, mining and trading company

Date and Place of Birth: September 18, 1962, Johannesburg

Education: BSc (mining and civil engineering), University of Pretoria; master’s degree (mineral economics), University of the Witwatersrand; MBA, University of Stellenbosch

First Job: Civil engineer for Concor Construction

Size of First Pay Packet: R2 400 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: About R500-million

Number of People Under Your Leadership: 1 250

Management Style: Driven and participative. I am also willing to empower people by delegating tasks, but always willing to run things myself, if required

Personal Best Achievement: Keeping Beacon Hill Resources afloat for two-and-a-half years, despite starting out there with no money on the balance sheet, and nearly raising enough money to have it become a full operating entity

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Mahatma Gandhi, Beyers Naudé (my father used to play tennis with him, in fact) and Dr Henning Gericke

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My mother and my father

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Donald Trump

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Marius Kloppers

Philosophy of Life: Life is a journey; enjoy the ride

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being selected to work in Australia as a relatively young mining engineer to develop the Togara South project, in Queensland. During that period, I visited a number of coal mines in Queensland and New South Wales. I was also introduced to Queensland Rail and New South Wales Rail, and various coal ports on the Australian east coast. I also assisted the Billiton coal business development team with the due diligence of the Mt Arthur North, Moonee, Wallarah and Chain Valley coal mines in New South Wales

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing two special resolutions on Beacon Hill Resources by 2%, which, had they been successful, would have enabled the company to be fully funded, enabling it to execute the project, which would have taken the company forward

Hope for the Future: That South Africa overcomes its current challenges and achieves it full potential

Favourite Reading: Leadership, finance and economics books

Favourite TV Programme: Billions

Favourite Food/Drink: Bordeaux red wine and Italian food

Favourite Music: Classic rock

Favourite Sport: Golf

Hobbies: Collecting wine, hunting, scuba diving and reading

Car: Volkswagen Touareg

Pets: Two spaniels

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty, disrespectfulness and vulgarity

Married: To Trudie, for 30 years

Children: John-Rowan, 26; Marike, 22

Organisational Memberships: The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Engineering Council of South Africa, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the South African Colliery Management Association

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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