Full name: Dr Snowy Joyce Khoza
Position: CEO of Bigen Africa
Main Activity of the Company: Engineering, management consulting, project finance and infrastructure Development
Date and Place of Birth: February 12, 1958 in Mamelodi, Pretoria
Education: Executive MBA, University of Cape Town (UCT), 2008; PhD, Brandeis University, US, 1996
First Job: Social worker
Career History Prior to Current Position: Group executive at the Development Bank of Southern Africa
Size of First Pay Packet: R158 000 a year
First Job with Present Group: CEO designate
Number of People under Your Leadership: 517
Management Style: Collaborative
Personal Best Achievement: Completing my Executive MBA at UCT while working as an executive and being a mother
Professional Best Achievement: Being the first woman to chair the board of the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) and the first woman to be CEO of Bigen Africa Services
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My maternal grandmother, Nwana Gutsi Ramananga-Ramapalapala
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dr Mandla Gantsho, CEO of Nova Capital Africa
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Dr Ruel Khoza, chairperson of Nedbank
Philosophy of Life: Overcome the transitions of life and make bold strategic choices in life – we live only once
Hope for the Future: A prosperous South Africa where there is ‘fair’, shared growth and where everyone has the opportunity to work, contributing to improving the quality of life of all our people
Favourite Reading: The 10 Best Decisions a Woman Can Make, by Pam Farrel
Favourite TV Programme: TBN and One Gospel
Favourite Food/Drink: Fruit salad with Bulgarian yoghurt
Favourite Music: Gospel
Favourite Sport: Ballroom dancing
Hobbies: Structural and interior designing
Car: Mercedes-Benz
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and mediocrity
Favourite Other South African Company: Rand Merchant Bank
Favourite Foreign Company: Royal Dutch Shell
Clubs: Christian Women’s Network