Full Name: Lionel Maasdorp
Position: MD of Allmech
Main Activity of the Company: Water treatment of heat-transfer surfaces and manufacture of electrode boilers. Allmech is also the agent for Runxin multiflow control valves
Date and Place of Birth: July 1975, South Africa
Education: I am currently registered for a mechanical engineering diploma at the University of South Africa (Unisa) and hold a BCompt degree from Unisa, obtained in 1997
First Job: Audit clerk with Hewitt Van Der Walt Auditors, in Benoni, Gauteng
Career History Prior to Current Position: I moved from auditing to become group financial manager at BED Group (seven years), after which I spent a year at Tyco Trucks (an Imperial subsidiary). I later did some consulting work and, in 2008, joined the finance team of the civils division of Roshcon (a division of Eskom), for which I worked until it was merged with Rotran in 2012
Size of First Pay Packet: R1 000 a month, in 1994
First Job with Present Group: GM, in 2013
Value of Assets under Your Control: About R20-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 18
Management Style: I prefer to give staff the freedom to take their own decisions as a team, with enough supervision to change things, if necessary, but not to have to monitor them constantly
Personal Best Achievement: Managing Allmech successfully after Allan Cunningham was involved in a motorbike accident in 2014
Professional Best Achievement: Not stated
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father and my wife
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Fanie van Der Walt
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Richard Branson
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mike Barns
Philosophy of Life: There are constant ups and downs, so make the best out of both of them, as they will pass at some stage
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Not stated
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Seeing how disconnected large companies actually are
Hope for the Future: That corruption and greed make way for investment and development to benefit the whole country
Favourite Reading: Nonfiction
Favourite TV Programme: National Geographic
Favourite Food/Drink: Chicken
Favourite Music: Pop and rock
Favourite Sport: Not stated
Favourite Website: www.ephotozine.com
Hobbies: Photography, scuba diving
Car: A 4 × 4
Pets: Four dogs
Miscellaneous Dislikes: None
Favourite Other South African Company: Not stated
Favourite Foreign Company: Not stated