Full Name: Paul Hendrik Fick

Position: MD of Spescom DataFusion

Main Activity: Provision of contact centre and enterprise communication technology solutions and services

Date and Place of Birth: June 8, 1956, Reitz

Education: BSc Eng (electronics), University of Pretoria, 1979; BEng Hons (electronics), University of Pretoria, 1981; Master of Business Leadership, University of South Africa, 1986

First Job: Development engineer, Kentron, 1980

Career History Prior to Current Position: Kentron, 1980; Marconi and ESD, 1980 to 1983; AMS and Ampkon, 1984 to 1998

Size of First Pay Packet: R600 a month

First Job with Present Group: Manager of product management function

Value of Assets under Your Control: Spescom DataFusion is not an asset-type business

Number of People under Your Leadership: 120

Management Style: Participative, communicative, walking around

Personal Best Achievement: Growing divisional revenue by 40% year-on-year for three years in a row

Professional Best Achievement: Same as above

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

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

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jack Welsch

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Bill Gates

Philosophy of Life: Work hard today and tomorrow will look after itself

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Clinching a R40-million contact centre deal

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Every time we lose a customer or lose a deal, I experience disappointment

Hope for the Future: That I stay healthy and am able to work for many years to come

Favourite Reading: Fiction

Favourite TV Programme: Sport

Favourite Food/Drink: Fish/red wine

Favourite Music: Classical

Favourite Sport: Golf

Favourite Website: Google

Hobbies: Golf, reading

Car: Toyota Fortuner

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Nothing

Favourite Other South African Company: Rembrandt

Favourite Foreign Company: There is no foreign company that I specifically admire. In its early days, Microsoft was impressive. The same applies to Apple, which has proved many times that it is able to re-engineer itself to remain competitive

Married: Yes

Children: Five

Clubs: Irene Country Club