Full Name: Orhovelani Oriel Shikwambana
Position and Company Name: Operations manager of the Elikhulu operation of Evander Gold Mining, a subsidiary of Pan African Resources
Main Activity: Management of the Elikhulu tailings retreatment operation
Date and Place of Birth: January 3, 1977, in Mafarana village, Tzaneen, Limpopo province
Education: BSc (chemical engineering) and MBL
First Job: Graduate metallurgist, in 1999, at AngloGold Ashanti’s Free State Operation, in Welkom
Size of First Pay Packet: R4 500 a month
Career Path to Date: Metallurgist (operations), process engineer (engineering design and project management), director, operations manager
Value of Assets under Your Control: Revenues of more than R1-billion a year
Number of People under Your Leadership: 400, including contractors
Management Style: Democratic – to a large extent
Personal Best Achievement: The successful commissioning of the Elikhulu project, despite all the challenges we encountered, definitively ranks as my biggest most recent achievement
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late mother – she taught me to be focused and humble and to always appreciate the little – or plenty – that I have
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Stephen Flatman, who mentored me during my early years in an operations environment, and Neill Birdsey, who mentored me to management
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Lionel Messi, for his excellence in sport
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Patrice Motsepe
Philosophy of Life: Do not chase many rabbits at the same time, because you end up catching none
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Moving from the operations environment in 2005 to engineering design has completely transformed my career
Biggest Ever Disappointment: When, as part of Basil Read, we closed Basil Read Matomo down in 2015
Hope for the Future: That we continue to develop Elikhulu into a flagship operation for Pan African Resources
Favourite Reading: John Maxwell’s books on leadership
Favourite TV Programme: Supersport
Favourite Food/Drink: Lamb
Favourite Music: Gospel music
Favourite Sport: Soccer
Hobbies: Cooking
Car: Audi Q7
Pets: African grey named Codi
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Being late for anything, especially meetings
Married: To Judean
Children: Jemima, 13; Ripfumelo, 11; Orahlee, 8
Clubs: FC Barcelona