Full Name: Elgonda la Grange

Position: Regional GM, Honeywell Southern Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Inspiring everyone in the company to reach beyond what they think is possible (to be replaced – MZ)

Date and Place of Birth: August 25, 1964, Pretoria

Education: BIng (chemical engineering), cum laude

First Job: Engineer in training (doing catalyst research), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1987

Size of First Pay Packet: R2 000 a month

First job with Present Group: Process simulation engineer, 1990

Career History Prior to Current Position: Regional sales leader, 2007 to 2008; advanced solutions leader, 2006 to 2007 (both with Honeywell HPS South Africa); operations leader for Western Canada, 2006; Six Sigma Black Belt: sales and services, 2004 to 2006 (both with Honeywell HPS Canada); operations manager, Honeywell Hi-Spec Solutions, 1990 to 2003

Value of Assets under Your Control: R500-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 250

Management Style: Participative

Personal Best Achievement: When my husband asked me to marry him

Professional Best Achievement: Being the first woman to reach the regional GM position in Honeywell EMEA

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My husband, Adriaan

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My first manager at Honeywell, way back in 1990. He taught me how to interact with customers with integrity and respect, how to work in a team, and how to keep all my commitments

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Leonardo da Vinci

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mark Shuttleworth and Bill Gates – they started from nothing and went on to build highly successful companies, and used their success to contribute to making a difference in other people's lives

Philosophy of Life: Do to others as you would yourself

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Taking on the role of regional GM at a time when the company is about to explode into Africa

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Watching the cricket World Cup final in a pub in Scotland – we lost with one wicket

Hope for the Future: That South Africa will deliver on the promise of 1994 and be a country in which all its citizens can dream of a safe and prosperous future

Favorite Reading: Winnie the Poo

Favourite TV Programme: Magnum PI

Favorite Food/Drink: Any Pasta/Pinocalada, preferably on the beach in Hawaii

Favourite Music: Neil Diamond

Favourite Sport: Not cricket any more

Favorite Website: Anything that Google can find quickly

Hobbies: Jewelry making and gardening

Car: BMW 320

Pets: None – still mourning my German Sheppard

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who see the problem only, and not the solution, people who talk too much

Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths

Favorite Foreign Company: Apple

Married: Adriaan La Grange, 1982

Children: None

Clubs: The departure lounge at OR Tambo International Airport