Full Name: Poya Rasekhi

Position: Southern African leader (CEO) of Arup

Main activity of the company: Engineering and management consultancy

Date and Place of Birth: September 26, 1970, Kerman, Iran

Education: Athlone Boys High; master’s degree (electrical engineering), University of Johannesburg; MBA, Warwick Business School

First Job: Eskom, Arnot power station

Career History Prior to Current Position: Project and construction management in Israel, the UK and South Africa

Size of First Pay Packet: R3 000 a month

First Job with Present Group: Associate of Arup Major Projects, 2008

Value of Assets under Your Control: R11-million as of October

Number of People under Your Leadership: 400 to 500

Management Style: Meritocratic

Personal Best Achievement: Marrying my wife

Professional Best Achievement: This job

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

Person who has had the biggest influence on your career: Joe Strydom

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barack Obama

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sir Ove Arup

Philosophy of Life: Detachment from yourself and material things will ensure success

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Doing humanitarian work through the Baha’I Faith during the Yugoslav war

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not moving to China in the 1990s

Hope for the Future: I am forever hopeful that Africa will have a great future

Favourite Reading: Colin Cotterill books

Favourite TV Programme: Sherlock (BBC series) with Benedict Cumberbatch

Favourite Food/Drink: Persian food

Favourite Music: Classical

Favourite Sport: Soccer

Favourite Website: The Flipboard app

Hobbies: Kayaking, soccer and giving my children a hard time

Car: BMW 320d

Pets: A Yorkshire terrier and two Dobermans

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Untrustworthy people

Favourite Other South African company: None

Favourite Foreign Company: Google

Married: Since 1995

Children: A boy and a girl

Clubs: None