Full Name: Gysbert Kappers
Position: CEO and cofounder of Wyzetalk
Main Activity of the Company: Wyzetalk is a social business company
Date and Place of Birth: November 5, 1970
Education: Executive MBA, University of Cape Town
First Job: Producing and selling ice to the townships
Career History Prior to Current Position: I had an 18-year career building the largest privately owned concrete masonry business in South Africa.
Size of First Pay Packet: R3 500
First Job with Present Group: Cofounder
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: 25
Management Style: Detail driven, transparent and goal focused
Personal Best Achievement: Marrying my wife, Caroline, and starting a family
Professional Best Achievement: Investing in and building the largest workforce engagement and collaboration platform in Africa
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My mentor, Jeremy Mackintosh
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Sebastian Coe
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Peter Thiel
Philosophy of Life: Transparency; be humble
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Creating and building Wyzetalk
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Failure to correct my previous business during the 2008 economic downturn
Hope for the Future: That Wyzetalk becomes the workforce engagement and social enterprise platform of choice for businesses operating in Africa
Favourite Reading: Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, by Ed Catmull (president of Pixar)
Favourite TV Programme: House of Cards
Favourite Food/Drink: Eastern cuisine/anything
Favourite Music: U2, INXS and Snow Patrol
Favourite Sport: Mountain biking
Favourite Website: Amazon
Hobbies: Networking
Car: Land Rover
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Arrogance
Favourite Other South African Company: Discovery
Favourite Foreign Company: IDEO
Married: To Caroline, since May 1996
Children: Alex, 14; Cameron, 11