Full Name: Deshnee Naidoo
Position: CEO Zinc International, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited Sterlite
Main Activity of the Company: Mining, processing, refining and selling zinc concentrate/metal and associated by-products
Date and Place of Birth: February 27, 1976, Durban, South Africa
Education: BSc (chemical engineering)
First Job: Learner official metallurgist, Precious Metals Refiners, Rustenburg, Anglo Platinum
Size of First Pay Packet: About R4 000 net a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: Zinc International is a group company in Vedanta Resources and is not listed. Vedanta Resources is a London Stock Exchange-listed company with a market capitalisation of about £2-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: We employ just over 3 000 people, including contractors in South Africa, Namibia and Ireland
Management Style: Facilitative – I believe in finding balance between assertiveness and collaboration
Personal Best Achievement: Having three daughters before my thirty-first birthday
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father – he was very smart but was not allowed the opportunity to show the world his talents
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Norman Mbazima
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Mahatma Gandhi (deceased); Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (living)
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mining, Cynthia Carroll; other, Raymond Ackerman. More recently, I have been fascinated by Anil Agarwal’s journey
Philosophy of Life: Give more than you get
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being awarded an Anglo American bursary
Biggest Ever Disappointment: I do not have one, as I always have a plan B, C, D, and so on
Hope for the Future: To use mining as a tool to positively shape South Africa – the Gamsberg project approval is the first step
Favourite Reading: Nonfiction (biographies), fiction (investigative, thrillers, and so on)
Favourite TV Programme: I have no time for TV
Favourite Food/Drink: My mother’s breyani/latte
Favourite Music: Pop, R&B
Favourite Sport: Motor GP
Hobbies: Hanging out with my three daughters
Car: 5-Series BMW (just so that I am not messed with on the road and for its safety)
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: People with bad attitudes, traffic and unnecessary queueing
Married: To Veeren
Children: Sharess, 14; Kashaliyah, 9; and Preyanka, 7
Clubs: Rand Club, in Johannesburg (only because they did not allow women there until the last decade!!)