Full Name: Robert Richardson
Position: MD of Air Products
Main Activity of the Company: Manufacture of industrial and speciality gases
Date and Place of Birth: 1961, Johannesburg
Education: BSc (mechanical engineering), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), 1981; MSc (industrial engineering), Wits, 1993; PrEng, 1987
First Job: Assistant design engineer, Sasol Technology
Career History Prior to Current Position: Various operations and project management positions, including eight years as GM: On-Sites (responsible for Air Products tonnage gas production)
Size of First Pay Packet: R1 200 a month
First Job with Present Group: Projects manager
Value of Assets under Your Control: R3.5-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: 680
Management Style: Participative and informal
Personal Best Achievement: Eighteen Comrades marathon finishes, including two silver medals (below 7 hours, 30 minutes)
Professional Best Achievement: Being appointed MD of Air Products South Africa
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Jane
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Mike Hellyar, previous MD of Air Products
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Albert Einstein
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Warren Buffett
Philosophy of Life: Try to recognise the individual qualities that each person brings
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Studying engineering on a Sasol bursary
Biggest Ever Disappointment: That South Africa has not been able to adequately address the growing problem of unemployment, especially youth unemployment
Hope for the Future: A South Africa where the leaders act in the interests of society rather than the interests of an elite few
Favourite Reading: Light nonfiction, such as Malcolm Gladwell
Favourite TV Programme: Detective series
Favourite Food/Drink: Steak/red wine
Favourite Music: 80s rock
Favourite Sport: Roadrunning
Favourite Website: BD Live
Hobbies: All kinds of do-it-yourself work
Car: Mercedes-Benz, Toyota
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Corruption
Favourite Other South African Company: Sasol
Favourite Foreign Company: Toyota
Married: To Jane Scott, since 1989
Children: Laura, 21
Clubs: None