Full Name: Nosizwe Nokwe-Macamo
Position: Group CEO of PetroSA
Main Activity of the Company: Integrated upstream and downstream petrochemicals manufacturing
Date and Place of Birth: I was born in Soweto in the politically turbulent early 1960s
Education: Msc (chemical engineering), Moscow; leadership qualifications from INSEAD, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Cape Town
First Job: Receptionist for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Angola
Size of First Pay Packet: $400 (1991), in Angola
First Job with Present Group: The current one
Value of Assets under Your Control: About R30-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: 1 800
Management Style: Consultative
Personal Best Achievement: Being part of the divine process of creation and delivering a new human being into the world and nurturing her – nothing beats that feat
Professional Best Achievement: Starting up a company in a foreign country with a different language and different legal system and not knowing a single person in that country. For a while, I was everything – MD, FD, HCD, project manager, marketing director
Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late mother, Vuyiswa Nokwe, a stalwart of the struggle for freedom in South Africa and memories of my late father, Duma Nokwe
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Two of my previous bosses, who believed in me against all odds, took the plunge and gave me the space to grow to my full potential
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: My late grandmother Kate Malangabi, a trailblazer and formidable woman
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Monhla Hlala, previous CEO of ACSA.
Philosophy of Life: Always give and do your best
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Studying, on scholarship, for a master’s degree in petrochemical engineering in Russia and graduating cum laude
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not going to the Massachussetts Institute of Technology
Hope for the Future: That the economy of South Africa grows to its full potential so that we are capable of developing and uplifting the youth
Favourite Reading: Autobiographies of our struggle heroes and heroines, Deepak Chopra
Favourite TV Programme: I do not watch much TV
Favourite Food/Drink: My husband’s cooking
Favourite Music: A mix of golden oldies across all genres
Favourite Sport: Swimming and figure-skating
Favourite Website: Quite a few, including home decorating websites
Hobbies: Hanging out with my family, reading
Car: Not stated
Pets: Sid, our Pom
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and people who undermine your integrity
Favourite Other South African Company: MTN
Favourite Foreign Company: Oando Petroleum Nigeria
Married: To my soulmate, Antonio Macamo
Children: Nhampulane, 12; Ailton, 17; Alain, 21
Clubs: I spend my spare time with my children, so I have very teen and young adult interests at this point