Full Name: Anabel Vieira

Position and Company Name: FD of Octodec Investments

Main Activity of the Company: Octodec Investments is a JSE-listed real estate investment trust with a diversified portfolio of 250 residential, retail, office, industrial and specialised properties in the major metropolitan areas of Tshwane and Johannesburg

Date and Place of Birth: July 1959, in Lisbon, Portugal

Schools and Tertiary Education: I attended a commercial high school and obtained my first degree through the University of South Africa in 1989 and my honours the following year. I passed the board exam in 1991

First Job: Accountant at a small audit firm

Size of First Pay Packet: Too long ago to remember accurately but it was probably about R200 a month

Career Path to Date: I did my training at Grant Thornton (in those days known as Kaplan and Kaplan) in Pretoria, and was admitted as an audit partner in 1993. I remained with the firm until 2015 and was responsible for the larger audit clients, including Premium Properties, which is now a subsidiary of Octodec. I subsequently joined City Property Administration, the property administration company for Octodec Investments, in 2016 and was appointed the FD of Octodec in 2021

Value of Assets under Your Control: The portfolio, including an equity-accounted joint venture, has a lettable area valued at R11-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: Not stated

Management Style: I support the team but let them grow and allow them to contribute to new opportunities and ideas

Personal Best Achievement: Being named the top accounting student in the country in 1989

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: I am generally not influenced by people around me and never aim to be what they are. I am much of an individualist, but my accounting teacher back in Grade 10 did stand out among the pack of teachers in a large school

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I was privileged to have joined the audit firm which then consisted of about seven male partners. I was the only female partner, which was rather unusual in those days, but they respected and believed in me. I believe that, as a team, they had a big influence on what I managed to achieve and to eventually become one of the more senior partners in the firm, both at the local office and in the national office

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Not stated

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk – he is such a genius and does not look at other people for inspiration; it comes from the inside

Philosophy of Life: Regardless of your circumstances, never give up and always dream big – you can only achieve it if you have a dream or a goal

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Becoming an audit partner at a very young age, and qualifying as a chartered accountant soon after that

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not believing in myself from an even younger age

Hope for the Future: My prayer is for this country, which has immense opportunity, to be led by competent people so that all its people can live and enjoy such a beautiful country

Favourite Reading: I enjoy reading biographies and good leadership books

Favourite TV Programme: I generally do not enjoy TV, but I like any documentary on travel, cooking and home décor

Favourite Food/Drink: Seafood/wine

Favourite Music: Light jazz and classic music

Favourite Sport: Tennis (watching)

Hobbies: World travel, hiking, walking, working out in the gym, and a good book to read

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: I was given a kitten to raise recently

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Grumpy and complaining people

Married: To John Vieira

Children: Paul, 41; Nicole, 35

Clubs: None, other than the gym