Jacques Rikhotso, MD of Bridgestone South Africa
Full Name: Jacques Mavhavaza Rikhotso
Position and Company Name: MD of Bridgestone South Africa
Main Activity of the Company: Bridgestone is a manufacturer and wholesaler of tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, heavy trucks, buses, earthmoving equipment, agricultural vehicles, motorcycles and aircraft
Date and Place of Birth: December 28, 1978, at Mafarana Village, kaMuhlava, in Limpopo province
Schools and Tertiary Education: Xivodze Primary School, Cata Secondary School, Giyani High School, and the University of the Witwatersrand
First Job: Trainee metallurgist
Size of First Pay Packet: R3 500 a month
Career Path to Date: I worked for Anglo Coal as a trainee metallurgist, after which I joined Glencore as a plant engineer at Wonderkop, later rising to the position of superintendent of the same plant, and manager of the company’s Rhovan plant. Thereafter, I worked for PPC Lime as the company’s product development manager and later as the GM for sales and marketing. I have also worked for Nampak Plastics, first as inland regional director and then as manufacturing director. I joined Bridgestone South Africa as manufacturing director, before being promoted to operations director and then MD
Value of Assets under Your Control: R2-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: About 1 000
Management Style: Servant leadership
Personal Best Achievement: Building my parents a home
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Kokwana N’waMalunghisi Rikhotso
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Israeli public intellectual and historian Yuval Noah Harari
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Yuval Noah Harari
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mike Nkuna
Philosophy of Life: Know yourself and stay true to that
Biggest Ever Opportunity: The MD role at Bridgestone South Africa
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Some of my behaviours when under pressure
Hope for the Future: Patriotic South African leaders
Favourite Reading: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari
Favourite TV Programme: Emzini Wezinsizwa
Favourite Food/Drink: Goat meat/cold beer
Favourite Music: Reggae and African jazz
Favourite Sport: Football
Hobbies: Camping, braaiing, jogging and reading
Car: Land Cruiser SW 76
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Clutter
Married: Yes; I am married to Munyadziwa
Children: Mixo, 16; Yinhla, 9
Clubs: None