Peter Skeat

15th November 2019 By: Martin Creamer - Creamer Media Editor

Peter Skeat

Full Name: Peter Edwin Skeat

Position: Executive chairperson of Blyvoor Gold and related companies

Main Activity of the Company: Gold mining

Date and Place of Birth: February 22, 1954, Queenstown, Eastern Cape

Education: Rondebosch Boys Preparatory School; Rondebosch Boys High School, matric, 1971; T5 mechanical engineering diploma, Cape College for Advanced Technical Education, 1973; BSc (civil engineering), University of Cape Town, 1977; BSc (mining engineering), University of the Witwatersrand, 1980

First Job: Building roads and bridges for Savage & Lovemore, 1973

Size of First Pay Packet: 63c a day from the South African Air Force

Career Path to Date: From 1981 to 1996 – contract-mining outcrop gold reefs starting from South Roodepoort Deep, Durban Deep, Rand Leases, Vogelstruisfontein, City Deep, Village Main, Primrose and Modder B, and contract-mining outcrop platinum reefs; 1997, acquisition of The Afrikander Lease gold mine from Anglo American; 2005, acquisition of Ergo from Anglo American; 2009, relaunch of the mothballed Agnes gold mine as Galaxy Gold; 2017, acquisition of Blyvoor Gold, which will start gold production in the fourth quarter of 2019

Value of Assets under Your Control: Undisclosed

Number of People under Your Leadership: 500 and heading for 2 000

Management Style: Reaffirmation of first principles, attention to detail, productivity-focused, team-orientated, the winning of the hearts and minds of stakeholder communities, ongoing participation, joint decision-making, applying the logic of the lessons across 30 years of experience

Personal Best Achievement: Raising my two lovely daughters

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Harry Oppenheimer

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Henry Kissinger

Person Who Has Impressed You Most: Bill Gates

Philosophy of Life: Strive to win and be positive

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Reopening the Blyvoor gold mine

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing voting control of Ergo

Hope for the Future: South Africa’s economic and social recovery

Favourite Reading: RW Johnson, military history/World War II

Favourite TV Programme: History Channel

Favourite Food/Drink: Fish and a good sherry or port

Favourite Music: Moody blues

Favourite Sport: Sevens rugby and cycling five times a week to keep fit

Hobbies: Flying, sailing and cycling

Car: Jaguar XJ8

Pets: Three dogs, two cats and an aviary

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty, nontransparency, inefficiency and corruption

Married: To Stephanie Elizabeth (née Reinecke)

Children: Tamarin, 31; Sabrina,27

Clubs: Brakpan Aero Club, Inanda Club Johannesburg, Cape Town Flying Club, Kelvin Grove Club Cape Town, Royal Cape Yacht Club