Full Name: David John Bennett
Position: MD: roads at Basil Read
Main Activity of the Company: Construction, mining and consulting engineering
Date and Place of Birth: January 1, 1978, Durban
Education: Professional engineer
First Job: Junior site engineer for Basil Read in Swaziland
Career History Prior to Current Position: Over the last 12 years, I have progressed through the ranks, holding various positions in the construction division prior to my appointment as an executive director
Size of First Pay Packet: R 11 500 a month
First Job with Present Group: Junior site engineer
Value of Assets under Your Control: It varies between R800-million and R1.5-billion
Number of People under Your Leadership: About 280
Management Style: I lead by example and am very production orientated, given the type of work environment in which we operate
Personal Best Achievement: My children – a boy aged 3 and identical twin girls
Professional Best Achievement: Being appointed the youngest divisional MD in the 65-year history of the company
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Marius Heyns
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: It is a toss-up between Robin Williams and Jay Leno
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Clem Sunter
Philosophy of Life: The only way to predict your future is to create it
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being given the reins of the Atterbury road project at a young age
Biggest Ever Disappointment: My career is too short for me to have experienced any significant disappointment
Hope for the Future: That government infrastructure spend materialises and that the South African Roads Agency Limited is given more responsibility over roads expenditure at provincial level, over and above its current national routes focus
Favourite Reading: Light-hearted fiction
Favourite TV Programme: 30 Rock
Favourite Food/Drink: A few beers around a braai
Favourite Music: Maroon 5
Favourite Sport: Rugby and boxing
Favourite Website: YouTube and HowStuffWorks
Hobbies: Triathlons and flyfishing
Car: Toyota Fortuner
Pets: Two miniature schnauzers and a Shar Pei
Miscellaneous Dislikes: ‘Glass-is-half-empty’ sort of people
Favourite Other South African Company: Sasol
Favourite Foreign Company: Apple