Full Name: Kuno Eckhard Kerlen

Position: MD of Procon Environmental Technologies

Main Activity of the Company: Remediation and cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination and manufacture of high-performance oil-water separators

Date and Place of Birth: November 13, 1975, Haarlem, the Netherlands

Education: BSc (mechanical engineering)

First Job: Project engineer in the petrochemicals sector

Career History Prior to Current Position: Projects team leader and then projects executive at Liquid Automation Systems; technical sales manager at Wabco Automotive; project engineer and then projects manager at Eltacon Engineering, in the Netherlands

Size of First Pay Packet: €1 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: MD

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 19

Management Style: Empower the team to achieve their goals, and guide them, where necessary, to stay on the strategic path; participative and always available to assist team members

Personal Best Achievement: Being a father

Professional Best Achievement: Setting up the local design and manufacture of Procon’s hydrocyclone-based oil-water separator systems

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My wife

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: The Dalai Lama

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Andy Miller, founder of Procon Environmental Technologies

Philosophy of Life: Enjoy doing things to the best of your ability

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Becoming a partner in Procon

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not travelling more when I still had time

Hope for the Future: That we create the right environment in South Africa for business to prosper. This will reduce many of the social ills we are faced with today

Favourite Reading: Car Magazine

Favourite TV Programme: None

Favourite Food/Drink: Indonesian

Favourite Music: AC/DC

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Favourite Website: Automotive forums for renovating my classic car

Hobbies: Riding motorbikes, restoring old cars and off-roading

Car: Saab 95 Aero

Pets: Boerboel, bull terrier and a Brak

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Inefficiency in organisations and a lack of initiative and drive in people

Favourite Other South African Company: BAE Land Systems

Favourite Foreign Company: Any foreign company making a sustainable investment in South Africa

Married: To Esmeralda, since October 2008

Children: Amélie, 4; Faye, 3

Clubs: None