Full Name: Danai Magugumela

Position: MD of Bosch Projects

Main Activity of the Company: Consulting engineering for infrastructure and industry

Date and Place of Birth: 1967, Mutare, Zimbabwe

Education: BSc (civil engineering), Prairie View A&M University, US; MSc (civil engineering), Texas A&M University, US

First Job: Engineering assistant in geometric design, Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation

Career History Prior to Current Position: MD, Aecom Africa; CEO, BKS Group; project manager and CE, Municipal Infrastructure Investment Unit; roads engineer, Ninham Shand and GMKS

Size of First Pay Packet: R4 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: MD, Bosch Stemele

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 250

Management Style: Inclusive. I love leading individuals who are smarter than I am; in this way, I am most influential when leading from the middle

Personal Best Achievement: Receiving a scholarship to read for the International Baccalaureate in Italy in 1984

Professional Best Achievement: Being promoted from project manager to CE

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My first mentor, Llewellyn Pike

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Oprah Winfrey

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Not stated

Philosophy of Life: The only person responsible for your happiness is yourself

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being the project engineer on the iconic Nelson Mandela bridge project, in Johannesburg

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not having read for a PhD as I had initially planned to do

Hope for the Future: That civil engineering tenders prioritise skill, technical expertise and quality over the lowest price, so that skills development and mentoring are not compromised

Favourite Reading: Business reference, research and biographical material

Favourite TV Programme: Good documentaries and comedies for a good laugh

Favourite Food/Drink: Sparkling water with lemon

Favourite Music: Gospel

Favourite Sport: Personal training

Favourite Website: Google Earth

Hobbies: Gardening, learning new languages and bargain hunting

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Laziness and lack of passion

Favourite Other South African Company: Tiger Brands

Favourite Foreign Company: Samsung

Married: To Maurice, since 1995

Children: Tshedza,19; Thendo, 15

Clubs: None