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Basil Bold

15th November 2013

  

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Full Name: Basil Bold

Position: MD of Sensus South Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Design, manufacture and supply of water metering equipment and smart metering solutions

Date and Place of Birth: November 1943, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Education: Matric, engineering diploma and various business management qualifications

First Job: Learner official on the gold mines

Career History Prior to Current Position: After qualifying with an engineering diploma on the mines, I enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand for an engineering degree. I failed first-year exams, lost a promised bursary and was forced to work as a pumps salesperson but was fired after one year because of lack of sales. After travelling around Europe, I joined a family-owned pumps company as a junior internal salesperson, taking over as MD some 20 years later. Under the Malbak umbrella, I subsequently managed three different companies in the group, including HarveyTile
Size of First Pay Packet: R96 a month

First Job with Present Group: MD

Value of Assets under Your Control: R40-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 30

Management Style: Open, leading by example

Personal Best Achievement: Learning German

Professional Best Achievement: Progressing from junior salesperson to MD through initiative and hard work

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Many

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Wolfgang Meinecke, of Germany. We collaborated to introduce Meinecke (now Sensus) products onto the South African market

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jonathan Jansen and Desmond Tutu

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Richard Branson

Philosophy of Life: There is no such thing as luck. Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being offered the South African distributorship for the global Meinecke company

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not taking part in the Berlin marathon

Hope for the Future: That we make judicious use of technology to raise living standards

Favourite Reading: Technical, nonfiction, such as Bill Bryson, and thrillers, for example, Dan Brown

Favourite TV Programme: Air Crash Investigations and sport

Favourite Food/Drink: Steak/beer

Favourite Music: Classical Mozart and Chopin

Favourite Sport: Tennis

Favourite Website: None

Hobbies: DIY

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: One adopted stray cat at present

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Bad drivers and unjustified self-entitlement

Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths and Investec

Favourite Foreign Company: None

Married: To Marie-Luise since 1971

Children: Patrick, 40; Christopher, 37

Clubs: Randburg Harriers (running) and German Country Club (tennis)

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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