Full Name: Henning Rasmuss

Position: International business director at Paragon Architects

Main Activity of the Company: Architecture and interior architecture

Date and Place of Birth: September 12, 1967

Education: Bachelor of Architecture (cum laude), University of the Witwatersrand, 1994

First Job: Selling electronic keyboards during school holidays at Beares Furnishers, in Eloff street, Johannesburg

Career History Prior to Current Position: I worked in Berlin from 1991 to 1992; in Johannesburg, at Stauch Vorster Architects, from 1995 to 1996; and at Wong Tong & Partners, in Hong Kong, in 1997

Size of First Pay Packet: R3 400 a month, at Stauch Vorster Architects

First Job with Present Group: I founded Paragon Architects in 1997 with Anthony Orelowitz and my first job was director of the firm

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: Together with other leaders – 115

Management Style: I am an inspirational storyteller and invest high levels of trust in those I lead – I am not a micromanager

Personal Best Achievement: Being a debt-free South African at the age of about 40

Professional Best Achievement: I guess working on the Cape Town stadium for the 2010 soccer World Cup is a highlight, and remaining in business for 20 years, during which South Africa experienced three recessions, is probably my best achievement

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: The writer, Italo Calvino, followed closely by my history teacher at school, Myrtle Dittberner

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dhiroo Kalian – architect and director at ADA

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: I do not have those kinds of fantasies

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Henry Ford

Philosophy of Life: I went into the woods/ Because I wanted to live deliberately/ I wanted to live deeply/ And suck out the marrow of life/ And not to discover/ When I came to die/ That I had not lived

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Living in Africa in the twenty-first century

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Failing to maintain our business in Brazil, which we opened in 2009 and closed in 2014

Hope for the Future: Better leadership across the board

Favourite Reading: Short stories

Favourite TV Programme: I do not watch TV

Favourite Food/Drink: Moqueca/Lagavulin

Favourite Music: Buraka Som Sistema

Favourite Sport: None

Favourite Website: Anything that books flights

Hobbies: I love photography – probably the closest to a hobby for me

Car: Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

Pets: One dog, one budgie (catatonic), two bunnies (which belong to the children)

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty, vanity

Favourite Other South African Company: The Conservation Corporation

Favourite Foreign Company: Virgin Galactic, which wants to fly people into space

Married: To Philippa Rodseth, since March 1998

Children: Natascha, 12; Alexander, 9

Clubs: Various theme camps at AfrikaBurn every year. This year, it was the Birthday Suits