Full Name: Warren Wentworth Dale

Position: MD, African Mixing Technologies, t/a Afromix

Main Activity of Company: Design and manufacture of high-technology agitation systems and peristaltic pumps

Date and Place of Birth: Johannesburg, October, 10, 1946

Education: Matric, Pretoria Boys High; engineering diploma, 1966

First Job: Asea Electric, Pretoria, engineering student

Career History Prior to Current Position: Asea Electric, to 1967; Drury Wickman, sales engineer, to 1970; present company, in various roles, from 1975 to the present – became MD in 1978

Size of First Pay Packet: R21 a month

First Job with Present Proup: Sales engineer

Value of Assets under Your Control: R95-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 20

Management Style: Lead from within the team; ethics are everything

Personal Best Achievement: Obtaining a helicopter pilot’s licence at 59

Professional Best Achievement: Building up a business from scratch and successfully selling it in 2001

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother – she taught me that the world is only as small as you choose it to be – although she never knew she did

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: No one springs to mind

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Warren Buffett

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Clem Sunter

Philosophy of Life: Never look back over your shoulder; seize every opportunity; regret only the things you haven’t done

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Taking over a bankrupt company in 1975 and turning it into a market leader

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The way the business I sold turned out, although it gave me the opportunity to create a new one

Hope for the Future: That our political leaders recognise the damage they have done to this beautiful country, reverse it, and try to retain our skilled people

Favourite Reading: Nonfiction, or any novel by James Lee Burke

Favourite TV Programme: 3rd Degree and Special Assignment

Favourite Food/Drink: Peking duck/a good Sauvignon Blanc

Favourite Music: Andre Rieu

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Favourite Website: None

Hobbies: Flying helicopters and spending time at my game farm

Car: Mercedes-Benz 500CL

Pets: A staffie and a renegade dog called Gibson

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Pompous people who take themselves too seriously, unreliable people

Favourite Other South African Company: Gold Fields

Favourite Foreign Company: Robinson Helicopters

Married: Adrienne Barnes, September, 26, 1999

Children: Gregory, 33; Michelle, 31

Clubs: Johannesburg Country Club