Full Name: Frank van Rees

Position: MD and enterprise business lead of Hewlett-Packard South Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Information technology

Date and Place of Birth: June 8, 1969, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Education: MSc in business administration, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

First Job: Management trainee with KPN, a major Dutch telecommunications provider

Career History Prior to Current Position: I spent 17 years in the information and communication technology sector, mainly in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the Dutch Antilles

Size of First Pay Packet: R20 000 a month

First Job with Present Group: New business sales director: Benelux

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 1 000

Management Style: Focusing on execution and collaboration, and being customercentric

Personal Best Achievement: Meeting my wife 20 years ago

Professional Best Achievement: Being appointed MD of Hewlett-Packard South Africa

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Myself

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: My son when he is my current age

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Ben Verwaayen, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent

Philosophy of Life: Think win-win

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Living and working in South Africa

Biggest Ever Disappointment: None so far, luckily

Hope for the Future: That the world is preserved

Favourite Reading: Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Safon

Favourite TV Programme: A good movie

Favourite Food/Drink: Steak, French fries/champagne

Favourite Music: A broad selection, depending on the occasion but singer-songwriter Jack Johnson is a favourite

Favourite Sport: Windsurfing and basketball

Favourite Website: Google

Hobbies: Reading, travelling, running, golf and windsurfing

Car: Land Rover

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Life’s too short to have dislikes, but slow traffic is a serious candidate

Favourite Other South African Company: SABMiller

Favourite Foreign Company: Google

Married: To Michèle

Children: Joaquim, 15 months

Clubs: None