Full Name: Poya Rasekhi
Position: Southern African leader (CEO) of Arup
Main activity of the company: Engineering and management consultancy
Date and Place of Birth: September 26, 1970, Kerman, Iran
Education: Athlone Boys High; master’s degree (electrical engineering), University of Johannesburg; MBA, Warwick Business School
First Job: Eskom, Arnot power station
Career History Prior to Current Position: Project and construction management in Israel, the UK and South Africa
Size of First Pay Packet: R3 000 a month
First Job with Present Group: Associate of Arup Major Projects, 2008
Value of Assets under Your Control: R11-million as of October
Number of People under Your Leadership: 400 to 500
Management Style: Meritocratic
Personal Best Achievement: Marrying my wife
Professional Best Achievement: This job
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandfather
Person who has had the biggest influence on your career: Joe Strydom
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barack Obama
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Sir Ove Arup
Philosophy of Life: Detachment from yourself and material things will ensure success
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Doing humanitarian work through the Baha’I Faith during the Yugoslav war
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not moving to China in the 1990s
Hope for the Future: I am forever hopeful that Africa will have a great future
Favourite Reading: Colin Cotterill books
Favourite TV Programme: Sherlock (BBC series) with Benedict Cumberbatch
Favourite Food/Drink: Persian food
Favourite Music: Classical
Favourite Sport: Soccer
Favourite Website: The Flipboard app
Hobbies: Kayaking, soccer and giving my children a hard time
Car: BMW 320d
Pets: A Yorkshire terrier and two Dobermans
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Untrustworthy people
Favourite Other South African company: None
Favourite Foreign Company: Google
Married: Since 1995
Children: A boy and a girl
Clubs: None