Full Name: Shireen Sayed

Position: Managing member of Aspire Project Management

Main Activity of the Company: Aspire Project Management provides integrated project delivery solutions in the public and industrial infrastructure sectors

Date and Place of Birth: March 2, 1974, Durban

Education: Master’s degree in project management, University Limerick, Ireland, 2009; BTech (civil engineering), Durban University of Technology, 2001; national diploma civil engineering, 1997

First Job: Student technician in civil engineering at Ninham Shand

Career History Prior to Current Position: Project manager on a project for the European Commission for Inland Fisheries Ireland

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 200 a month

First Job with Present Group: Founding member for Aspire Project Management

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: Ten under direct management and many more under indirect management, depending on the size of the project

Management Style: Direct and clear, with appropriate levels of coaching and delegating

Personal Best Achievement: Meeting my current partner

Professional Best Achievement: Starting Aspire Project Management

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Niall Kearney, a director at McElroy Associates

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: The Forbes Top 100 women in the world

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

Philosophy of Life: Anything is achievable – believe and look ahead

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Working in the engineering industry in Ireland and returning to South Africa with the confidence and experience to open my own practice

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Realising that there are people who will deliberately stop others from being successful

Hope for the Future: That we South Africans go back to ubuntu (humanity for others)

Favourite Reading: Khaled Hosseini

Favourite TV Programme: The Fixer

Favourite Food/Drink: I eat a balanced diet – everything in moderation, and my favourite drink is ginger beer

Favourite Music: Christian and R&B

Favourite Sport: Golf

Favourite Website: Pinterest

Hobbies: Reading, gardening, cooking and working out in the gym

Car: BMW

Pets: German Shepherds, Shane and Zoe

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Malicious and dishonest people

Favourite other South African Company: Transnet, for recognising women in engineering

Favourite Foreign Company: Google

Married: Separated

Children: None

Clubs: None