Full Name: Lulu Gwagwa

Position: Chairperson of the board of directors of Aurecon South Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Aurecon provides engineering, management and specialist technical services for the private and public sectors

Date and Place of Birth: Kromhoek Village, Umzimkulu, KwaZulu-Natal

Education: BA, Fort Hare; MTRP, University of KwaZulu-Natal; MSc (cum laude), London; PhD, London

First Job: Town planner, Department of Local Government, Transkei

Size of First Pay Packet: R312.48 a month

Career History Prior to Current Position: Town planner, Transkei government; town planner, Rosmarin, Kriek & Partners, 1982; town planner, Built Environment Support Group, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 1985; senior lecturer, Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 1991; deputy director-general, National Department of Public Works, 1995; CEO, Independent Development Trust, 1998; COO, Lereko Investment, 2005; CEO, Lereko Investment, 2010

Management Style: I manage through a strong results-orientated team

Personal Best Achievement: Receiving the Titmus Award for the best MSc student in the Social Policy and Planning Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science (the first student from the developing world to have won the award)

Professional Best Achievement: Transforming the Independent Development Trust from a grant-making to a development management entity

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My sister, Thembeka Gwagwa

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Caroline Moser, for convincing me that ‘I can’

Person You Would Most Like To Meet: The late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mark Lamberti and Wendy Luhabe

Philosophy of Life: Choice, not chance, determines one’s destiny

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Studying at the London School of Economics and Political Science

Biggest Ever Disappointment: That my father died too early to see his five girls as adults

Hope for the Future: That access to good-quality education in South Africa does not depend on where and to whom you are born

Favourite Reading: Fiction by African women authors

Favourite TV Programme: Say Yes to the Dress

Favourite Food/Drink: Seafood/green tea

Favourite Music: South African contemporary soul music

Favourite Sport: Tennis

Hobbies: Photography and writing

Car: Not stated

Pets: Cooking for dogs was the biggest schlep when I was growing up. I promised myself that I would never keep a pet. I have kept my promise

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who do not want to take accountability for their lives

Favourite Other South African Company: FirstRand

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple

Married: To Ayanda Ntsaluba

Children: Bulelani, 22; Nokukhanya, 21

Clubs: Africa Leadership Initiative