Full Name: Stacey Davidso
Position: Director of the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (Redisa)
Main Activity of the Company: The Redisa plan is to remove waste tyres from the South African environment and to create a new recycling industry through the creation of a circular economy within the tyre industry. Redisa itself is not a tyre recycler, but aims to ensure that the new tyre recycling industry is viable, jobs are created, small and medium-sized enterprises are developed and, ultimately, the South African economy is boosted
Date and Place of Birth: Cape Town
Education: I completed two years of a BSocSci degree programme, majoring in politics, philosophy and economics, at the University of Cape Town but, owing to financial constraints, was unable to complete my final year and accepted a position in the financial services industry
First Job: I started working in 1987, at age 16, for Woolworths as a cashier and continued to work for the retailer as a casual employee after matriculating. In the evenings, I worked as a call centre agent, doing telesales
Career History Prior to Current Position: My work experience ranges from retail sales, consultancy work and office management. I start my own business, Melsta Business Solutions, in 2003, which specialised in providing data sanitisation and community-based marketing strategies for financial services companies looking to trace members of pension and provident funds. In 2010, I served as director of Jibu Consulting, a business offering consulting services to both public- and private-sector clients
Size of First Pay Packet: R495 a month
First Job with Present Group: Director
Value of Assets under Your Control: Revenue of R530-million and a national footprint supporting 190 businesses
Number of People under Your Leadership: 2 381
Management Style: I believe in a developmental approach to management
Personal Best Achievement: Doing my first motivational talk under the banner of Life Chats, a brand I developed to Let Individuals Feel Empowered and Communicating Holistic Approaches Towards Success
Professional Best Achievement: Being one of the cofounders of the Redisa concept of Waste into Worth
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandfather, my grandmother and my teachers at high school
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Many of the successful businesswomen in South Africa, including Daphne Mashile and Irene Charnley
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Oprah Winfrey
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Not stated
Philosophy of Life: It takes an entrepreneurial spirit to see value where others see waste
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Seeing and taking the opportunity that presented itself when nobody believed in Redisa and there was strong opposition to the concept
Biggest Ever Disappointment: None because, when disappointed, I have learnt to understand that God knows better and what may appear bad now will soon be seen as a blessing
Hope for the Future: That more women in South Africa start their own businesses
Favourite Reading: Paulo Coelho novels – Veronica Decides to Die and Eleven Minutes
Favourite TV Programme: All the cooking shows
Favourite Food/Drink: Salmon and avocado
Favourite Music: Jazz
Favourite Sport: Swimming
Favourite Website: Redisa’s website
Hobbies: Cooking and spending time with my family
Car: Mercedes-Benz
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Disrespect and discourteous drivers
Favourite Other South African Company: Sea Harvest – what the company is doing with its waste management at its plant in Saldahna is inspiring
Favourite Foreign Company: Unilever, for its ambition to drive zero waste
Married: My partner, Grant, and I met at age 13 but never got along at high school. We met up as adults and wondered why we had wasted all that time
Children: Kieran, 21; partner’s – Matthew, 14; Joshua, 12
Clubs: None