Mining Weekly

Full Name: Jeannette Elizabeth McGill
Position: Manager: novel mining methods at the Centre for Mining Innovation of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Main Activity of the Organisation: Research and innovation
Date and Place of Birth: February 23, 1973, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Education: Collegiate High School for Girls, Port Elizabeth, matric, 1990; BSc, University of Port Elizabeth, 1994; BSc (Hons), Rhodes University, 1995; MSc, University of Pretoria, 2005; MSc (mineral economics), PhD (economic geology), Colorado School of Mines, 2008 and 2010
First Job: Geologist, Anglovaal, 1996
Size of First Pay Packet: About R2 000 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: Research and development rely on the priceless contribution of all the researchers to derive innovation
Number of People under Your Leadership: 12 directly, 42 indirectly
Management Style: Cooperative, providing strategic vision
Personal Best Achievement: I was the first technical woman to work underground on all the mines I have worked on and the first women to be issued with an underground blasting ticket in the Welkom goldfields
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dave Kershaw, my first manager, and Vishnu Pillay, for providing me with the opportunity to go to the Colorado School of Mines while he was at the CSIR
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Gina Rinehart
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Cynthia Carroll and Pierre Lassonde
Philosophy of Life: Anything is possible
Biggest Ever Opportunity: In my formative career stages, I was simultaneously exposed to a closing mine (Lorraine), a new mechanised mine (Target) and brownfield exploration
Biggest Ever Disappointment: None
Hope for the Future: That we are adjudicated for jobs based on skillset and job fit rather than gender or demographic considerations
Favourite Reading: Monocle and the Financial Times
Favourite TV Programme: Homeland and Big Bang Theory
Favourite Food/Drink: Grain-fed steak/De Toren Fusion V
Favourite Music: Rock, classical
Favourite Sport: Grand Slam tennis, Tour de France and Super Bowl
Hobbies: Mountaineering, mountain biking, squash and live music shows
Car: Audi A4
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Incompetence and lying
Married: Single
Affiliations and Clubs: Institute of Directors, Council for the Geological Society of South Africa (of which I am VP); the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Society of Mining Engineering, the Society of Economic Geologists, 85 Broads, the Parkview Squash Club and the Mountain Club of South Africa