Full Name: Erin Gilfillan

Position: MD of Mining Engineering Technical Services (METS), a division of United Mining Services Group

Main Activity of the Company: Provision of engineering, procurement, design and construction services to the mining industry locally and internationally, with particular focus on underground mining and small to medium-sized process plants

Date and Place of Birth: Paarl, Western Cape

Education: BEng (chemical engineering), Stellenbosch University; MBA, University of South Africa School of Business Leadership

First Job: Process engineer at Bateman Engineering

Career History Prior to Current Position: I worked for engineering companies in South Africa until 2012, when I moved to Australia for a project with Fluor. After four years with Fluor in Australia and a stint in the Middle East, I moved to BHP Iron Ore, where I managed the company’s Project Delivery Group. I returned to South Africa in 2018

Size of First Pay Packet: I cannot remember

First Job with Present Group: GM of METS

Value of Assets under Your Control: Our assets lie in our intellectual capital, but we are currently working on projects across diverse commodities in Southern Africa and North America

Number of People under Your Leadership: A small but highly professional team; we draw on a very broad base of industry professionals in accordance with project requirements

Management Style: I strive to be quite collaborative and communicate with my team continuously

Personal Best Achievement: I am proud of what I have achieved to date as a woman in this industry

Professional Best Achievement: During my tenure at BHP, I had to build a project team from scratch. We had multiple difficult stakeholders and my team’s performance and management of conflicting priorities left me particularly proud

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother, who, as a teacher, was tremendously influential in moulding me into the woman I am today. I also attended an all-girls school, which really focused on the development of girls into well-rounded women

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My mentor in Australia, Kelly

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barack Obama

Philosophy of Life: Value others and their contribution

Biggest Ever Opportunity: I had an opportunity to work in the Middle East as a project engineer on a very difficult project that was executed across multiple offices and time zones. It was extremely challenging, but very rewarding

Biggest Ever Disappointment: None

Hope for the Future: That my family is happy and healthy

Favourite Reading: James Patterson. Currently, I am reading The President Is Missing

Favourite TV Programme: I do not watch TV that much

Favourite Food/Drink: Italian

Favourite Music: Rock

Favourite Sport: Swimming. Both my children swim, so (before the advent of Covid-19) I would spend many evenings and weekends supporting them at competitions

Favourite Website: None

Hobbies: I like to read and learn new things

Pets: Two dogs

Married: I am married, with two children