Full Name: Kuno Eckhard Kerlen
Position: MD of Procon Environmental Technologies
Main Activity of the Company: Remediation and cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination and manufacture of high-performance oil-water separators
Date and Place of Birth: November 13, 1975, Haarlem, the Netherlands
Education: BSc (mechanical engineering)
First Job: Project engineer in the petrochemicals sector
Career History Prior to Current Position: Projects team leader and then projects executive at Liquid Automation Systems; technical sales manager at Wabco Automotive; project engineer and then projects manager at Eltacon Engineering, in the Netherlands
Size of First Pay Packet: €1 500 a month
First Job with Present Group: MD
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated
Number of People under Your Leadership: 19
Management Style: Empower the team to achieve their goals, and guide them, where necessary, to stay on the strategic path; participative and always available to assist team members
Personal Best Achievement: Being a father
Professional Best Achievement: Setting up the local design and manufacture of Procon’s hydrocyclone-based oil-water separator systems
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My wife
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: The Dalai Lama
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Andy Miller, founder of Procon Environmental Technologies
Philosophy of Life: Enjoy doing things to the best of your ability
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Becoming a partner in Procon
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not travelling more when I still had time
Hope for the Future: That we create the right environment in South Africa for business to prosper. This will reduce many of the social ills we are faced with today
Favourite Reading: Car Magazine
Favourite TV Programme: None
Favourite Food/Drink: Indonesian
Favourite Music: AC/DC
Favourite Sport: Rugby
Favourite Website: Automotive forums for renovating my classic car
Hobbies: Riding motorbikes, restoring old cars and off-roading
Car: Saab 95 Aero
Pets: Boerboel, bull terrier and a Brak
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Inefficiency in organisations and a lack of initiative and drive in people
Favourite Other South African Company: BAE Land Systems
Favourite Foreign Company: Any foreign company making a sustainable investment in South Africa
Married: To Esmeralda, since October 2008
Children: Amélie, 4; Faye, 3
Clubs: None