Full Name: Rowan Aubrey Karstel
Position: Interim CEO of Buffalo Coal
Main Activity of the Company: Coal exploration, mining and trading company
Date and Place of Birth: September 18, 1962, Johannesburg
Education: BSc (mining and civil engineering), University of Pretoria; master’s degree (mineral economics), University of the Witwatersrand; MBA, University of Stellenbosch
First Job: Civil engineer for Concor Construction
Size of First Pay Packet: R2 400 a month
Value of Assets under Your Control: About R500-million
Number of People Under Your Leadership: 1 250
Management Style: Driven and participative. I am also willing to empower people by delegating tasks, but always willing to run things myself, if required
Personal Best Achievement: Keeping Beacon Hill Resources afloat for two-and-a-half years, despite starting out there with no money on the balance sheet, and nearly raising enough money to have it become a full operating entity
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Mahatma Gandhi, Beyers Naudé (my father used to play tennis with him, in fact) and Dr Henning Gericke
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My mother and my father
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Donald Trump
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Marius Kloppers
Philosophy of Life: Life is a journey; enjoy the ride
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being selected to work in Australia as a relatively young mining engineer to develop the Togara South project, in Queensland. During that period, I visited a number of coal mines in Queensland and New South Wales. I was also introduced to Queensland Rail and New South Wales Rail, and various coal ports on the Australian east coast. I also assisted the Billiton coal business development team with the due diligence of the Mt Arthur North, Moonee, Wallarah and Chain Valley coal mines in New South Wales
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing two special resolutions on Beacon Hill Resources by 2%, which, had they been successful, would have enabled the company to be fully funded, enabling it to execute the project, which would have taken the company forward
Hope for the Future: That South Africa overcomes its current challenges and achieves it full potential
Favourite Reading: Leadership, finance and economics books
Favourite TV Programme: Billions
Favourite Food/Drink: Bordeaux red wine and Italian food
Favourite Music: Classic rock
Favourite Sport: Golf
Hobbies: Collecting wine, hunting, scuba diving and reading
Car: Volkswagen Touareg
Pets: Two spaniels
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty, disrespectfulness and vulgarity
Married: To Trudie, for 30 years
Children: John-Rowan, 26; Marike, 22
Organisational Memberships: The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Engineering Council of South Africa, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the South African Colliery Management Association