Full Name: Basil Bold
Position: MD of Sensus South Africa
Main Activity of the Company: Design, manufacture and supply of water metering equipment and smart metering solutions
Date and Place of Birth: November 1943, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Education: Matric, engineering diploma and various business management qualifications
First Job: Learner official on the gold mines
Career History Prior to Current Position: After qualifying with an engineering diploma on the mines, I enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand for an engineering degree. I failed first-year exams, lost a promised bursary and was forced to work as a pumps salesperson but was fired after one year because of lack of sales. After travelling around Europe, I joined a family-owned pumps company as a junior internal salesperson, taking over as MD some 20 years later. Under the Malbak umbrella, I subsequently managed three different companies in the group, including HarveyTile
Size of First Pay Packet: R96 a month
First Job with Present Group: MD
Value of Assets under Your Control: R40-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 30
Management Style: Open, leading by example
Personal Best Achievement: Learning German
Professional Best Achievement: Progressing from junior salesperson to MD through initiative and hard work
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Many
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Wolfgang Meinecke, of Germany. We collaborated to introduce Meinecke (now Sensus) products onto the South African market
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jonathan Jansen and Desmond Tutu
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Richard Branson
Philosophy of Life: There is no such thing as luck. Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being offered the South African distributorship for the global Meinecke company
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not taking part in the Berlin marathon
Hope for the Future: That we make judicious use of technology to raise living standards
Favourite Reading: Technical, nonfiction, such as Bill Bryson, and thrillers, for example, Dan Brown
Favourite TV Programme: Air Crash Investigations and sport
Favourite Food/Drink: Steak/beer
Favourite Music: Classical Mozart and Chopin
Favourite Sport: Tennis
Favourite Website: None
Hobbies: DIY
Car: Mercedes-Benz
Pets: One adopted stray cat at present
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Bad drivers and unjustified self-entitlement
Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths and Investec
Favourite Foreign Company: None
Married: To Marie-Luise since 1971
Children: Patrick, 40; Christopher, 37
Clubs: Randburg Harriers (running) and German Country Club (tennis)