Full Name: Shireen Sayed
Position: Managing member of Aspire Project Management
Main Activity of the Company: Aspire Project Management provides integrated project delivery solutions in the public and industrial infrastructure sectors
Date and Place of Birth: March 2, 1974, Durban
Education: Master’s degree in project management, University Limerick, Ireland, 2009; BTech (civil engineering), Durban University of Technology, 2001; national diploma civil engineering, 1997
First Job: Student technician in civil engineering at Ninham Shand
Career History Prior to Current Position: Project manager on a project for the European Commission for Inland Fisheries Ireland
Size of First Pay Packet: R1 200 a month
First Job with Present Group: Founding member for Aspire Project Management
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: Ten under direct management and many more under indirect management, depending on the size of the project
Management Style: Direct and clear, with appropriate levels of coaching and delegating
Personal Best Achievement: Meeting my current partner
Professional Best Achievement: Starting Aspire Project Management
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Niall Kearney, a director at McElroy Associates
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: The Forbes Top 100 women in the world
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
Philosophy of Life: Anything is achievable – believe and look ahead
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Working in the engineering industry in Ireland and returning to South Africa with the confidence and experience to open my own practice
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Realising that there are people who will deliberately stop others from being successful
Hope for the Future: That we South Africans go back to ubuntu (humanity for others)
Favourite Reading: Khaled Hosseini
Favourite TV Programme: The Fixer
Favourite Food/Drink: I eat a balanced diet – everything in moderation, and my favourite drink is ginger beer
Favourite Music: Christian and R&B
Favourite Sport: Golf
Favourite Website: Pinterest
Hobbies: Reading, gardening, cooking and working out in the gym
Car: BMW
Pets: German Shepherds, Shane and Zoe
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Malicious and dishonest people
Favourite other South African Company: Transnet, for recognising women in engineering
Favourite Foreign Company: Google
Married: Separated
Children: None
Clubs: None