Full Name: Navin Singh
Position: Co-director, Mandela Mining Precinct; manager: mining and mineral resources, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) within the Natural Resources and the Environment Unit
Main Activity of the Company: Research, development and innovation
Date and Place of Birth: November 15, 1971, Durban, South Africa
Education: BSc (physics and applied physics), University of KwaZulu-Natal; Master in Engineering (mining), University of the Witwatersrand
First Job: Rock engineer, Western Areas gold mine, South Shaft
Size of First Pay Packet: R4 000 a month
Number of People under Your Leadership: Ten – the CSIR has more than 2 000 researchers
Management Style: Managing people through PRIDE: Professionalism – behave like a professional, Respect – respect others in order to be respected, Integrity – my word is my bond, Delivery – ensure you meet your deadlines, Excellence – always give the highest quality
Personal Best Achievement: My son, Kiran
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents and my sister
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My first bosses, Dr John James and Dr Martin Raffield
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Albert Einstein
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Terence Goodlace
Philosophy of Life: Be the change that you would like to see in the world. Imagine a family, a home, a community, a city, a province and a country doing something constructive and positive towards change
Biggest Ever Opportunity: There are two, and they are equally important. The first was designing a massive mining method for the South Deep gold mine, which was done using conventional mining methods and demonstrated that massive mining in a deep-level gold mine is possible. This mining method was published in a handbook for underground mining methods. The second is the development of the South African Mining, Extraction, Research and Development and Innovation – or SAMERDI – strategy, which led to the establishment of the Mandela Mining Precinct
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Being diagnosed as a diabetic
Hope for the Future: That South Africa (and the South African mining industry, in particular) realises its potential
Favourite Reading: Any novel from the Alex Cross series by James Patterson
Favourite TV Programme: The Walking Dead series and any nature series narrated by Sir David Attenborough
Favourite Food/Drink: Anything but broccoli
Favourite Music: Reggae – Bob Marley, in particular
Favourite Sport: Cricket and soccer
Hobbies: Fly-fishing
Car: Mercedes Benz
Pets: A four-year-old beagle named Dexter
Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who drag their heels when they walk
Married: Divorced
Children: Kiran, 12
Clubs: None