Full Name: John Harold Smithyman
Position: CEO of Weldamax
Main Activity of the Company: Weldamax supplieswelding equipment and consumables
Date and Place of Birth: February 8, Surrey, UK
Education: Michaelhouse, matric, 1978; Rhodes University, BCom, 1982; Rhodes University, CTA, 1983; CA (SA), 1984; Revans University, US, MSc (business leadership), 2004
First Job: Articled clerk at KPMG
Career History Prior to Current Position: I worked atKPMG from 1984 to 1989, ending up as audit manager; was a partner in accounting and financial accounting practice at Keith Griffiths & Associates from 1989 to 1992; spent 1993 working/holidaying in London; worked as commercial director, COO and CFO at Compass Groupbetween 1994 and 2005; and joined Wedamax as CEO in 2006
Size of First Pay Packet: R640 a month
First Job with Present Group: CEO
Value of Assets under Your Control: R150-million
Number of People under Your Leadership: 260
Management Style: Participative – I try to ask the right questions so team members can come to their own conclusion on the way forward. I also follow the objective management style, in terms of which I gather information from many sources before taking calculated risks
Personal Best Achievement: Still to come
Professional Best Achievement: Together with the procurement director at Compass, I introduced a distribution centre to replace middlemen wholesalers. This required extensive change management and interpersonal and leadership skills
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife, Annie
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Me
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jacques Kallis
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Brian Joffe
Philosophy of Life: It is short – try to spend as much time as possible doing the things you want to do; the more positive you are, the more positive energy you attract; there is humour in every situation; solace in the wilderness
Biggest Ever Opportunity: Exposure to the wilderness
Biggest Ever Disappointment: My parents dying before I got to know them as real people
Hope for the Future: That our family live healthy, fulfilled lives free of excessive hardship
Favourite Reading: Louis L’amour
Favourite TV Programme: Supersport 2
Favourite Food/Drink: Mince and rice/Castle Lager
Favourite Music: Bob Seger
Favourite Sport: Hockey and golf
Favourite Website: Cricinfo
Hobbies: Wildlife, sport, watching our children play sport, watchingJacques Kallis bat
Car: Old diesel Isuzu double-cab that heads for the wilderness on autopilot
Pets: Hungry Labradors
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Taxi lawlessness, inability of government officials to see themselves as they are, drivers who drive down the emergency lane and do not queue with the rest of us, entitlement attitude, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
Favourite Other South African Company: South African Breweries
Favourite Foreign Company: None
Married: To Annie (nee Botha)
Children: Jenna, 11; Jack, 9
Clubs: Country Club Johannesburg, Shumbas Hockey
Edited by: Martin Zhuwakinyu
Source: Engineering news website