Full Name: Donovan Antony Chimhandamba

Position and Company Name: CEO of Nyanza Light Metals

Main Activity of the Company: Manufacturing of titanium dioxide pigment

Date and Place of Birth: September 12, 1979, Zimbabwe

Schools and Tertiary Education: BEng (Hons) (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering), Zimbabwe; MBA, Gordon Institute of Business Science, South Africa

First Job: Industrial engineer, Engen Refinery

Size of First Pay Packet: R7 000 a month, in 2002

Career Path to Date: Industrial engineer; maintenance planner; operations engineer; human resources; production management; GM: operations and manufacturing; business development executive; investment banking, private equity, project finance and venture capital head; private-equity fund manager

Value of Assets under Your Control: A $750-million project

Number of People under Your Leadership: Direct, 50; indirect, 200

Management Style: Participatory

Personal Best Achievement: Ability to mobilise those in the diaspora to crowdfund an African infrastructure project

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandfather

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: A certain South African ambassador

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Former US President Barack Obama

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Aliko Dangote

Philosophy of Life: Always learn how to build things from scratch

Biggest Ever Opportunity: To become the leading force for titanium mineral

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Politics affecting a clearly laid-out plan for Zimbabwe’s railway rehabilitation

Hope for the Future: That political economy and governance improve in Africa to allow for more African entrepreneurship that is not encumbered by politics

Favourite Reading: Bargaining with the Devil, Difficult Conversations, The Art of Action and Negotiating the Impossible

Favourite TV Programme: CNN and Bloomberg News

Favourite Food/Drink: African traditional foods and seafood/red wine, Carb Sauv

Favourite Music: Very universal – Afrobeat, R&B, Soul, et cetera

Favourite Sport: Running and golf

Hobbies: Gardening and running

Car: Jaguar F-Type, Mercedes-Benz GL500, Jeep

Pets: None, except for visiting birds

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Lack of attention to detail and people who theorise too much, with nothing tangible

Married: To Hazel

Children: Kyle, 17; Adrian, 14; Zoe 7

Clubs: Houghton Golf Club