What’s your one top tip for doing a deal?
Do thorough research before any engagement so that you understand everyone’s key motivations. This allows you to work towards a win‑win scenario with a higher chance of success. Motivations aren’t always obvious, so preparation goes a long way.
What was your first job?
I was a graduate marketing analyst.
How much was your first pay cheque, and how did you spend it?
It was R4,000, which was enough to cover living expenses and buy work clothes.
What is the one thing you wish somebody had told you when you were starting out?
That hard work and results ultimately win. There will be bumps along the way, but if you stay focused, deliver consistently and remain a good person to work with, you’ll be OK.
If you could fix only one thing in South Africa, what would it be?
Youth unemployment. Young people are our future and our greatest asset, so getting them into the workforce would be a top priority.
What’s the most interesting thing about you that people don’t know?
I enjoy cooking whenever I get the opportunity. It’s something I really enjoy.
What’s the worst investment mistake you’ve made?
Investing early in crypto and then selling too soon against my gut instinct, driven by fear.
What’s the best investment you’ve ever made? And how much of it was due to luck?
Investing in Sasol during the Covid crash. It was largely luck — I happened to be at a dinner with a friend who’s an investment guru and he convinced me to buy in.
What’s the best book you’ve read recently, and why did you like it?
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. I reread it from time to time because my context shifts, and I learn something new each time. It’s a behavioural economics book with fascinating insights into how we think and make decisions.
What’s the hardest life lesson you’ve learnt?
That sometimes life is unfair. You need to stay resilient — it won’t always be that way, but those moments do happen.
What phrase or bit of jargon irks you most?
“Let’s circle back …”
What is something you would go back and tell your younger self that would impress them?
Enjoy life, don’t take everything so seriously, and know that you’re going to be OK.
If you were President Cyril Ramaphosa, what would you change, or do, tomorrow?
I would implement a guaranteed youth employment scheme similar to that in Germany and ensure businesses are incentivised to participate.
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