Full name: Greg Vercellotti

Position: Executive director, Dariel Solutions

Main activity of the company: Software development

Date and place of birth: Johannesburg, May 30, 1968

Education: BCom (information science and economics), Wits, 1989

First job: Software developer for the South African Air Force

Career history prior to current position: Software developer, South African Air Force, 1992–1993; business analyst, MCK Systems, 1994–1995; Dimension Data, strategic account executive, software unit GM, divisional sales director and MD of outsourcing division, 1996–2005; executive director, Dariel Solutions, since 2005

Size of first pay packet: Underpaid, overworked

First job with present group: Sales, marketing and strategy

Value of assets under your control: The company’s people, who make up our assets, and there is no price that I can put on them

Number of people under your leadership: 50

Management style: Consultative, leading by example, motivational, creating relationships, helping staff achieve the impossible, setting big goals

Personal best achievement: Being a Rotary exchange student, my degree, my family of five

Professional best achievement: The partnership we have at Dariel Solutions

Person who has had the biggest influence on your life: My wife

Person who has had the biggest influence on your career: My first boss at Dimension Data, who taught me that it is the business need that drives technology, and not the other way round

Person you would most like to meet: Two hours with Nelson Mandela to understand what compassion, forgiveness and determination are really about

Businessperson who has impressed you most: Maria Ramos, for making a difference in the public sector

Philosophy of life: The glass is always half full; tomorrow is another opportunity to do it differently; don’t ponder on the disasters in life – learn from them and move on

Biggest ever opportunity: To be a partner in Dariel Solutions

Biggest ever disappointment: Nothing worth mentioning

Hope for the future: That South Africa can free itself from the shackles of poverty, crime and racial division; patriotism and pride in our country

Favourite reading: Tom Clancy (modern warfare, military intelligence, military technology)

Favourite TV programme: Grays Anatomy, American Chopper

Favourite food/drink: Veal lemone/a good bottle of red wine

Favourite music: I’m a music philistine. Anything with a good beat and in the charts will do for me

Favourite sport: Golf, followed by hockey, tennis, squash

Favourite website: Google

Hobbies: Voluntary paramedic, Gauteng hockey umpiring, software development

Car: BMW 3-series

Pets: Six rabbits, one hamster

Miscellaneous dislikes: Indecisiveness; negativity; rainy weather; street vendors; incompetent ministers; taxi drivers who drive in the emergency lane; Telkom, when my ADSL breaks; and cellphones

Favourite other South African company: Dimension Data

Favourite foreign company: Berkshire Hathaway

Married: Lesley-Anne (n�e Dry), January 20, 2006

Children: Francesca, 8; Oliver, 6; Dominique, 3

Clubs: Sandton Hockey Club, Bryanston Country Club