Full Name: Ingrid Osborne

Position: CEO of Saryx

Main Activity of the Company: Saryx specialises in integration solutions for industrial control and automation, ICT, rail monitoring, and document management and compliance

Date and Place of Birth: August 27, 1975, Empangeni

Schools and Tertiary Education: BSc Engineering (Electronic) Hons; PrEng

First Job: Junior engineer

Career History Prior to Current Position: Junior engineer at Dortech, 1999; junior engineer at BeST, 2000; founder of Saryx, 2001

Size of First Pay Packet: R5 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: Engineer, sales and marketing, cleaner and accountant

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 60

Management Style: My management style is adaptable, aligning with situational leadership philosophies. Depending on the context and the needs of my team, I may shift between being directive, supportive or delegative to ensure the best outcomes

Personal Best Achievement: Being a parent has helped me master the art of balance and time management. Juggling the demands of a career while raising children has honed my organisational skills and taught me to prioritise effectively. So, raising my children has been my greatest personal achievement

Professional Best Achievement: Taking our startup from a small team to a global enterprise. During this time, we won several awards – including the Best Control and Automation Award for our engineering department, Best Women Owned Business and the FNB Business Innovation Award for our flagship product, HSEC Online. In addition, our Skills and Social Development programme does about R2-million worth of training, for free, each year, sharing our technical software experience

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My husband. During challenging times, such as when I faced a significant setback at work, he was my rock. His unwavering belief in my abilities and constant encouragement helped me remain focused and motivated me to overcome the obstacles

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: It’s not really a person but an organisation, Endeavor, whose guidance, support and example have profoundly shaped my professional journey. Early on, the organisation’s strategic advice and mentorship provided me with a clear direction, helping me navigate the complexities of my industry

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: General Michael Flynn

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Richard Branson – I spent a week with him at his home on Necker Island and he surrounds himself with extraordinary people. I think this is his true gift

Philosophy of Life: My philosophy of life revolves around the principle of continuous improvement and innovation. I believe in challenging the status quo and striving for excellence in everything I do

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Attending the Endeavor ISP in Argentina and being accepted as a global entrepreneur. This came off the back of winning the FNB Business Innovation Award

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Witnessing the poor decision-making processes that sometimes occur in large corporations. These decisions often seem to be made without adequate consideration of long-term consequences or the input of those most affected

Hope for the Future: To inspire the next generation of leaders to prioritise ethical practices, health and safety, and social responsibility, ensuring that business success goes hand in hand with positive societal impact

Favourite Reading: I have just finished The Gravedigger’s Son and the Waif Girl (Volume 1- 4)

Favourite TV Programme: Better Call Saul

Favourite Food/Drink: Anything breakfast, and my favourite drink has to be coffee

Favourite Music: I have widely eclectic tastes; so, as long as it’s good

Favourite Sport: Rugby and Formula 1

Favourite Website: Can it be an App? – Audible

Hobbies: Working out in the gym, cycling, walking and running

Car: Porshe Panamera 4S

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: None

Favourite Other South African Company: Sweepsouth – I love the job opportunities they are providing

Favourite Foreign Company: None

Married: To Justen Osborne, since November 4, 2000

Children: Adam, 22; Jack, 21

Clubs: None