Full Name: Thibault Dousson
Position: GM, Lenovo Southern Africa
Main Activity of the Company: Provision of marketing and sales support for information technology (IT) products
Date and Place of Birth: June 1971, Chambery, France
Education: International trade degree, MBA
First Job: Export Department assistant
Career History Prior to Current Position: Export Department assistant, CEO’s personal assistant, project manager, category manager, sales manager, channel manager, retail manager, GM
Size of First Pay Packet: R6 500 a month
First Job with Present Group: GM
Value of Assets under Your Control: I cannot disclose that, but we are the second-biggest IT brand in the South African market
Number of People under Your Leadership: 50
Management Style: I like to draw up a five-year plan and set the framework, and then let my managers achieve the set objectives in their own way
Personal Best Achievement: My growing family and a healthy work-life balance
Professional Best Achievement: Being number one with two different brands
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother, my brother and my sister
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My first boss, Nicolas Series – I have never met anyone with such energy and charisma
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Cyril Ramaphosa
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk – for his vison, but not for his work ethic
Philosophy of Life: Be happy
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Coming to South Africa 15 years ago
Biggest Ever Disappointment: Short-term vision. An all the organisations I worked for where this was applied, a disaster was always around the corner
Hope for the Future: That Africa rocks
Favourite Reading: French author Amelie Nothomb, for her crazy imagination; Sam Harris, for opening my mind to meditation
Favourite TV Programme: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Favourite Food/Drink: Nicola’s curry/Miss Lucy wine
Favourite Music: I have eclectic tastes – from soul to funk, electro and rock
Favourite Sport: Handball and rugby
Favourite Website: Quora
Hobbies: Playing golf, binge-watching TV series with my wife and going on holiday
Car: Mercedes-Benz
Pets: A cat
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Bullies, idiots and people who try to force their beliefs on others
Favourite Other South African Company: Aspen
Favourite Foreign Company: Tesla
Married: To Nicola, for four-and-a-half years
Children: Hugo, 2 (another one is on the way)
Clubs: Not stated