Full Name: Estelle Meiring
Position: Director at Paragon Architects
Main Activity of the Company: Architecture
Date and Place of Birth: August 22, 1979, Johannesburg
Education: BArch, University of Pretoria; MSc (property development), University of the Witwatersrand
First Job: Part-time cashier in a clothing store when I was a student
Career History Prior to Current Position: I have been at Paragon for 14 years. Prior to that, I worked for R&L Architects, a small architectural office in Pretoria, and then moved to London, where I worked for an architectural firm called Broadway Malyan
Size of First Pay Packet: R5 000, as a candidate architect
First Job with Present Group: Professional architect
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: 107
Management Style: I adjust my approach, depending on the specific person or team that I am dealing with
Personal Best Achievement: Completing my MSc degree a few months after my twins were born, while also holding down a full-time job
Professional Best Achievement: Not stated
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Anthony Orelowitz, one of the founding directors of Paragon
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sheryl Sandberg
Philosophy of Life: Look for the magic in the ordinary; find pleasure in the small, simple things in life, and you will have a never-ending source of delight
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Joining Paragon when it had 15 staff members only and playing a part in building it into the big company that it is today
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not stated
Hope for the Future: That this generation curbs global warming
Favourite Reading: The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman
Favourite TV Programme: Not stated
Favourite Food/Drink: My mother’s roast chicken
Favourite Music: I listen to almost anything, depending on my mood on the day
Favourite Sport: I do not watch sports on TV at all
Favourite Website: Not stated
Hobbies: I occasionally show and breed Irish setters
Car: A Nissan X-trail
Pets: Three Irish setters and a spaniel
Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who interrupt you while you are talking
Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths
Favourite Foreign Company: Apple
Married: To Louis, since October 18, 2008
Children: Viaan and Mia, aged almost four
Clubs: Not stated