Full Name: Frans Johannes Pienaar

Position: Chairperson of Inyatsi Construction Group Holdings

Main Activity of the Company: Construction in sub-Saharan Africa

Date and Place of Birth: October 8, 1964, Middelburg, Cape

Education: Hoërskool President, Cape Town; BEng (civil engineering), Stellenbosch; Pr Eng

First Job: Engineer, CPA Roads Department

Career History Prior to Current Position: CPA Roads Department, 1987 to 1988; South African Navy national service, 1988 to 1990; CPA Roads Department, 1990 to 1995; Ingwe Coal Corporation, 1995 to 1997; Stocks Roads, WBHO, 1997 to 2004; Inyatsi 2004 to date

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: GM, 2004

Value of Assets under Your Control: With more than 3 000 employees in the group as our only assets of lasting value, the value is immeasurable.

Number of People under Your Leadership: The board consists of six people currently, and there are more than 3 000 of us in the team

Management Style: People have the solutions inside themselves – just ask: ”What do you think?”; bring solutions, not problems

Personal Best Achievement: Finding a wife who still loves me after 29 years of marriage – despite me being me; three great children – despite having me as a father

Professional Best Achievement: I have achieved very little. I am a spectator to amazing people around me achieving great things. It has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of this team

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My wife – she runs everything else in the background to free my hands to do what I do. She keeps me sane and my feet on the ground

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: The next one on the journey of life

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: I learn from everyone I meet and read about. They all have a piece of greatness in them. No human has it all. My pastor comes close, though

Philosophy of Life: There is always hope; start every sentence with the word 'Yes'; there is more to come

Biggest Ever Opportunity: All the opportunities at Inyatsi over the past 11 years and in the future. When someone says we will fail, I see it as a great opportunity

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The ruthlessness of some people in business – maybe I am just too naïve

Hope for the Future: That we change the world we live in and make a lasting difference in the lives of others

Favourite Reading: Biographies, stories of people conquering regardless of what life throws at them

Favourite TV Programme: BBC Top Gear

Favourite Food/Drink: Lamb chops on a braai

Favourite Music: Anything from boeremusiek and country to Vivaldi and Verdi

Favourite Sport: Rugby and golf

Favourite Website: www.autotrader.co.za

Hobbies: I read the Autotrader and play golf

Car: Lexus, Mercedes-Benz

Pets: My wife has lots of cats

Miscellaneous Dislikes: A defeatist attitude and people making excuses for everything and offering no solutions to fix problems

Favourite Other South African Company: The Rupert family businesses

Favourite Foreign Company: Toyota, Japan

Married: To Martie, since February 1, 1986

Children: Jacobus (born in 1989), August (1991), Frans-Johan (1992) – amazing gentlemen who are the products of a praying mother and of whom I am proud every day

Clubs: Nkonyeni Golf Club