Full Name: Allon Raiz

Position: CEO of Raizcorp since 2002

Main Activity of the Company: Raizcorp is a business prosperator (incubator)

Date and Place of Birth: May 8, 1967, Johannesburg

Education: BCom (Hons), University of Natal, 1991

First Job: Factory manager’s assistant at Republic Umbrella, 1990

Size of First Pay Packet: R2 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: CEO

Career History Prior to Current Position: Not stated

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 80 directly

Management Style: Everyone is an adult

Personal Best Achievement: Besides my family, authoring two books

Professional Best Achievement: Being named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mentor (he is a private man, so I will not mention his name)

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My parents

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: My grandfather – I understand he was very wise

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Adrian Gore

Philosophy of Life: If you think it, write it down and make it reality

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Coming to work every day

Biggest Ever Disappointment: A staff member I had handpicked for grooming stealing from me

Hope for the Future: That we significantly reduce the failure rate of small businesses in developing countries

Favourite Reading: Business books

Favourite TV Programme: I do not watch TV

Favourite Food/Drink: Lamb chops/single-malt whisky

Favourite Music: 1980s

Favourite Sport: Rugby – but I am not much of a sports watcher

Favourite Website: cnn.com

Hobbies: None

Car: Audi A5 2010

Pets: A shnauzer – Diesel

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Documents that are not right and left justified

Favourite Other South African Company: Discovery – I love how the company has changed the industry

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple – even though I do not own any Apple products

Married: To Toni Gaddie since 2002

Children: Cannen, 8; Denim, 5

Clubs: Entrepreneur’s Organisation (EO)