Full Name: Jeremy Waterman

Position: MD, Softline Accpac

Main Activity of the Company: Business applications, including financial, enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management

Date and Place of Birth: April 13, 1954, Johannesburg

Education: BSc (civil engineering), MBA, University of the Witwatersrand

First Job: Civil engineer

Career History Prior to Current Position: I have worked in the information technology industry since 1985

Size of First Pay Packet: R400

First Job with Present Group: MD

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 70

Management Style: Open-door, with very few meetings

Personal Best Achievement: Not stated

Professional Best Achievement: Building Accpac into a market leader in Africa

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Norman Adami, who persuaded me to leave corporate life and go it alone

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Bill Gates

Philosophy of Life: Treat people as you would like to be treated

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Starting my own business

Hope for the Future: A nonracial South Africa

Favourite Reading: Autobiographies

Favourite TV Programme: BBC

Favourite Food/Drink: Seafood/red wine

Favourite Music: Rock

Favourite Sport: Golf

Favourite Website: Wiki

Hobbies: Yachting, bird watching and game viewing

Car: Mercedes-Benz CLK

Pets: A couple of dogs

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who bring problems without solutions

Favourite Other South African Company: The breweries, of course

Favourite Foreign Company: Virgin

Married: Anne Marie

Children: Roz and Greg

Clubs: Bryanston Country Club