Full Name: Donovan Antony Chimhandamba
Position and Company Name: CEO of Nyanza Light Metals
Main Activity of the Company: Manufacturing of titanium dioxide pigment
Date and Place of Birth: September 12, 1979, Zimbabwe
Education: BEng (Hons) (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering), Zimbabwe; MBA, Gordon Institute of Business Science, South Africa
First Job: Industrial engineer, Engen Refinery
Size of First Pay Packet: R7 000 a month, in 2002
Career Path To Date: Industrial engineer; maintenance planner; operations engineer; human resources; production management; GM: operations and manufacturing; business development executive; investment banking, private equity, project finance and venture capital head; private-equity fund manager
Value of Assets under Your Control: $350-million project
Number of People under Your Leadership: Direct, 50; indirect, 200
Management Style: Participatory
Personal Best Achievement: Ability to mobilise those in the diaspora to crowdfund an African infrastructure project
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandfather
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: A certain South African ambassador
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Former US President Barack Obama
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk
Philosophy of Life: Always learn how to build things from scratch
Biggest Ever Opportunity: To become the leading force for titanium mineral beneficiation and African railway modernisation
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Politics affecting a clearly laid-out plan for Zimbabwe’s railway rehabilitation
Hope For the Future: That political economy and governance improve in Africa to allow for more African entrepreneurship that is not encumbered by politics
Favourite Reading: The Men Who Built America
Favourite TV Programme: CNN and Bloomberg News
Favourite Food/Drink: African traditional foods and seafood/red wine, Carb Sauv
Favourite Music: Very universal – Afrobeat, R&B, Soul, et cetera
Favourite Sport: Running and golf
Hobbies: Gardening and running
Car: Jaguar F-Type, Mercedes-Benz GL500, Jeep
Pets: None, except for visiting birds
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Lack of attention to detail and people who theorise too much, with nothing tangible
Married: To Hazel
Children: Kyle, 14; Adrian, 11; Zoe 5
Clubs: Houghton Golf Club