Shirley Hayes, founder and CEO of SHiP Copper
Full Name: Shirley Ann Hayes
Position and Company Name: Founder and CEO of SHiP Copper
Main Activity of the Company: Copper mining and exploration
Date and Place of Birth: Springbok, Northern Cape, South Africa, December 18, 1967
Education: Matric
First Job: Casual worker in a retail store
Size of First Pay Packet: I honestly cannot remember
Career Path to Date: Admin clerk, magazine master, learner miner, miner, mining entrepreneur
Value of Assets under Your Control: R1.6-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: 180
Management Style: Visionary leadership. I see the potential of how the world should be and then take steps to get there. To ensure that my vision becomes reality, I set clear goals, strategy and objectives with a team that is equipped and empowered
Personal Best Achievement: Self-knowledge, which refers to understanding one’s own mental state, processes and dispositions, including one’s inherent qualities of mind and character. It is the single most important thing one needs to master
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents – the biggest lesson from them was to be self-reliant
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: The smartest person in every room. I like to surround myself with people that are smarter than me
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Robert Friedland
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Robert Friedland and Elon Musk
Philosophy of Life: Be bold and have big dreams
Biggest Ever Opportunity: The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002, which came into effect on May 1, 2004; it gave small miners opportunities they never had before
Biggest Ever Disappointment: I don’t focus on disappointment. Every coin has two sides. I work with the other side of the coin to make sense and search for the benefit and opportunity
Hope for the Future: The world is starting to shift away from unsustainability, cruelty and exploitation. It is a slow shift, but it gives me hope
Favourite Reading: I love to read about people and philosophies that inspire me
Favourite TV Programme: Survivor
Favourite Food/Drink: Fine Dine, Happy Water and Espresso
Favourite Music: I am all over the genres, but an always favourite is jazz diva Karen Souza
Favourite Sport: QiGong and Yin Yoga
Hobbies: Reading and research on topics of interest, and I paint when inspired
Pets: Klara the naughty Lab and a few cats
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Loud noises and bright lights
Clubs: None