Full Name: Chris Botha
Position: MD of Aveng Grinaker-LTA
Main Activity of the Company: Aveng Grinaker-LTA is a multidisciplinary construction and engineering group anchored in South Africa, with experience and expertise spanning a number of market sectors, including public infrastructure, power, commercial, retail, industrial, mining infrastructure, oil and gas
Date and Place of Birth: July 1972
Education: University of Stellenbosch, BEng (civil), 1995
First Job: Batch plant operator at the Modimola dam project
Career History Prior to Current Position: Most recently, COO at Murray & Roberts Construction
Size of First Pay Packet: R60 a day
First Job with Present Group: My current position
Value of Assets under Your Control: R600-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 7 400 directly employees across Southern Africa
Management Style: Sharing and delegating responsibility
Personal Best Achievement: Meeting my wife, Marinda, and the birth of our two children
Professional Best Achievement: My appointment as MD of Aveng Grinaker-LTA
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Denise Thorpe
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Frik Venter, a former MD
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barrack Obama
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Brian Joffe, CE and founder of the Bidvest group
Philosophy of Life: Optimism – change and improvement are possible
Biggest Ever Opportunity: My offer of employment, as an estimating director, to a high-performance management team at Concor Roads & Earthworks in 2003
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Every time someone is prepared to sacrifice his or her integrity
Hope for the Future: A better and developed Africa
Favourite Reading: Conn Iggulden
Favourite TV Programme: Master Chef and sports channels
Favourite Food/Drink: Pizza/red wine
Favourite Music: Matchbox 20
Favourite Sport: Golf, cricket and rugby
Favourite Website: Wikipedia
Hobbies: Construction
Car: Toyota Prado
Pets: A cat, Border Collie, and two Cocker Spaniels
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonest people
Favourite Other South African Company: Naspers
Favourite Foreign Company: Apple
Married: To Marinda for ten years
Children: Madison and Calvin
Clubs: Irene Country Club