Gysbert Kappers

17th July 2015

  

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Full Name: Gysbert Kappers

Position: CEO and cofounder of Wyzetalk

Main Activity of the Company: Wyzetalk is a social business company

Date and Place of Birth: November 5, 1970

Education: Executive MBA, University of Cape Town

First Job: Producing and selling ice to the townships

Career History Prior to Current Position: I had an 18-year career building the largest privately owned concrete masonry business in South Africa.

Size of First Pay Packet: R3 500

First Job with Present Group: Cofounder

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 25

Management Style: Detail driven, transparent and goal focused

Personal Best Achievement: Marrying my wife, Caroline, and starting a family

Professional Best Achievement: Investing in and building the largest workforce engagement and collaboration platform in Africa

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My mentor, Jeremy Mackintosh

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Sebastian Coe

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Peter Thiel

Philosophy of Life: Transparency; be humble

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Creating and building Wyzetalk

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Failure to correct my previous business during the 2008 economic downturn

Hope for the Future: That Wyzetalk becomes the workforce engagement and social enterprise platform of choice for businesses operating in Africa

Favourite Reading: Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, by Ed Catmull (president of Pixar)

Favourite TV Programme: House of Cards

Favourite Food/Drink: Eastern cuisine/anything

Favourite Music: U2, INXS and Snow Patrol

Favourite Sport: Mountain biking

Favourite Website: Amazon

Hobbies: Networking

Car: Land Rover

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Arrogance

Favourite Other South African Company: Discovery

Favourite Foreign Company: IDEO

Married: To Caroline, since May 1996

Children: Alex, 14; Cameron, 11

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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