Full Name: Sarel Jakobus Fourie

Position: MD for South Africa and Namibia at TNT Express Worldwide

Main Activity of the Company: Business-to-business global express

Date and Place of Birth: May 27, 1974, Heidelberg

Education: BA (with majors in psychology and business communications), North West University, 1995; MBL, University of South Africa (Unisa), 2006; strategic supply chain management, Tias Nimbas Business School, Tilburg, 2010; business management programme, Rutgers, New Jersey State University, 2011

First Job: Credit supervisor at Edgars in Heidelberg

Career History Prior to Current Position: Operations director at TNT and various regional and national positions in general management, sales and operations

Size of First Pay Packet: R2 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: Operations director

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 500

Management Style: I follow an inclusive management style focused on discipline and results

Personal Best Achievement: Studying at various institutions, both here and overseas

Professional Best Achievement: Winner of Global Supply Chain Masters in 2011

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father in the earlier part of my life and my wife, Carol, later on

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dr Sidney Shipham, my mentor at Unisa’s School of Business Leadership

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Aung San Suu Kyi, of Burma

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Warren Buffett

Philosophy of Life: Do what you do, do it well (as Ned Muller says), and your worth is determined by the value you add to the people around you

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being appointed MD of TNT

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Having to retrench employees during the global recession. This is something I am avoiding at all costs by the way I am leading the company

Hope for the Future: I am very optimistic about the future role of our continent in the recovery of the global economy

Favourite Reading: I enjoy all kinds of business books from authors such as Stephen R Covey and John C Maxwell but my favourite author is Jim Collins

Favourite TV Programme: Homeland and Nikita

Favourite Food/Drink: I love a good wine but nothing beats a Caffé Mocha at a corner Starbucks, in Manhattan

Favourite Music: I enjoy mellow music like Jazz and female vocals such as Eva Cassidy, Roberta Flack and Sarah McLachlan.

Favourite Sport: Endurance racing

Favourite Website: Anything to do with an ‘I’, like iStore. I love reading and support sites such as Amazon.com

Hobbies: Reading, golf, fishing and travel

Car: Volvo

Pets: A Basset hound and a Dachshund

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Procrastination and bureaucracy

Favourite Other South African Company: Bidvest

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple and Berkshire Hathaway

Married: To Carol since February 24, 1996

Children: Charl, 13; Tiaan, 8

Clubs: SAEPA Director, the Institute of Management Consultants of South Africa and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals