Full Name: Nadir Khamissa
Position: CEO of Hello Group
Main Activity of the Company: Financial services
Date and Place of Birth: August 1, 1978, Pretoria
Education: BCom (actuarial science); CFA; owner-president management programme, Harvard Business School
First Job: Quantitative analyst, Deutsche Bank
Career History Prior to Current Position: I joined Deutsche Bank as a graduate in 2000, leaving in 2010 as MD of Global Equity Derivatives Trading
Size of First Pay Packet: R6 000 a month
First Job with Present Group: Founder
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: 450
Management Style: Facilitative and entrepreneurial. My job is to create an environment where my people can step up and lead and to deliver a support ecosystem around them
Personal Best Achievement: Being happily married with beautiful children
Professional Best Achievement: Building an organisation with an amazing culture and energy
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Nazir Ahmed Osman, my mother’s brother, who is not only an amazing entrepreneur but also a profoundly ethical person
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Roger Naylor, my former boss at Deutsche Bank – he taught me how to lead people by helping them develop a career and encouraged me to never stop learning
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Elon Musk
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk
Philosophy of Life: We get only one life, so live it doing meaningful work
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Telecoms deregulation happening at the perfect time for us to acquire a licence and launch our business
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Failure of our business six months after launch, which resulted in near bankruptcy
Hope for the Future: That technology opens amazing opportunities for everyone on earth
Favourite Reading: True North, by Bill George
Favourite TV Programme: Arsenal football matches
Favourite Food/Drink: Thai
Favourite Music: Eminem
Favourite Sport: Football
Favourite Website: Not stated
Hobbies: Working out in the gym, reading
Car: Ferrari 458 Spider, Porsche 911, Audi Q7
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Not stated
Favourite Other South African Company: Naspers
Favourite Foreign Company: Google
Married: To Hasseena, since December 16, 2003
Children: Four boys aged 8, 6, 2 and 1
Clubs: YPO