Full Name: Bernard Stern
Position: Founder and CEO of Metal Concentrators, South Africa’s largest independent precious metals refinery
Main Activity of the Company: Refining precious metals for the secondary market, as well as supplying of precious metal products to the jewellery manufacturing industry and the South African market
Date and Place of Birth: November 29, 1953, East London
Education: Yeoville Boys Primary School, Athlone Boys High School, Wits Technikon – qualified as a physical metallurgist in 1972
First Job: Denver Metal Works, trainee metallurgist
Size of First Pay Packet: R600 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: The value of the company is about R400-million; turnover about R3.5-billion a year
Number of People under Your Leadership: Metal Concentrators employs 45 people
Management Style: We operate the business as a family business and encourage staff members to develop their potential to grow within the company. We feel that a more informal working environment has empowered and encouraged our staff to be committed to the full service and integrity that our clients have come to expect from the company
Personal Best Achievement: 2015 ABSA Businessman of the Year for an Unlisted Company
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Hilary. We have been together for 40 years and worked together for 25 years, launching Metal Concentrators together in 1989
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My original partner when we started the company over 25 years ago, Terry Manolitsis, and my wife Hilary
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Gordon Ramsay – he is a crazy maverick and I would love to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen with him. Maybe he could teach me to cook properly
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: There is no particular person, but I have the greatest respect for disabled businesspersons, whether they are dyslexic, blind, deaf or physically disabled
Philosophy of Life: Life is terribly short and it should be enjoyed with friends and family
Biggest Ever Opportunity: The opportunity to open my own business, Metal Concentrators
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Trust and integrity are everything to me. I feel most disappointed when putting that trust in people who then let me down along the way
Hope for the Future: That South Africa gets electricity
Favourite Reading: Thrillers or detective novels
Favourite TV Programme: Cooking programmes
Favourite Food/Drink: Hamburgers and whisky (especially single malt) and good wine and champagne
Favourite Music: Any good music, including good old rock‛n’roll and classical
Favourite Sport: Rugby, pool
Hobbies: Cooking, reading, gym (out of necessity)
Car: Maserati GTS
Pets: An African grey parrot that swears like a trooper and tends to be a little aggressive towards me
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Lack of integrity and dishonesty
Married: To Hilary
Children: Samara, 31; Hayley, 28
Clubs: None