Full Name: Jacques Mavhavaza Rikhotso

Position and Company Name: MD of Bridgestone South Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Bridgestone is a manufacturer and wholesaler of tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, heavy trucks, buses, earthmoving equipment, agricultural vehicles, motorcycles and aircraft

Date and Place of Birth: December 28, 1978, at Mafarana Village, kaMuhlava, in Limpopo province

Schools and Tertiary Education: Xivodze Primary School, Cata Secondary School, Giyani High School, and the University of the Witwatersrand

First Job: Trainee metallurgist

Size of First Pay Packet: R3 500 a month

Career Path to Date: I worked for Anglo Coal as a trainee metallurgist, after which I joined Glencore as a plant engineer at Wonderkop, later rising to the position of superintendent of the same plant, and manager of the company’s Rhovan plant. Thereafter, I worked for PPC Lime as the company’s product development manager and later as the GM for sales and marketing. I have also worked for Nampak Plastics, first as inland regional director and then as manufacturing director. I joined Bridgestone South Africa as manufacturing director, before being promoted to operations director and then MD

Value of Assets under Your Control: R2-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 1 000

Management Style: Servant leadership

Personal Best Achievement: Building my parents a home

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Kokwana N’waMalunghisi Rikhotso

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Israeli public intellectual and historian Yuval Noah Harari

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Yuval Noah Harari

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mike Nkuna

Philosophy of Life: Know yourself and stay true to that

Biggest Ever Opportunity: The MD role at Bridgestone South Africa

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Some of my behaviours when under pressure

Hope for the Future: Patriotic South African leaders

Favourite Reading: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari

Favourite TV Programme: Emzini Wezinsizwa

Favourite Food/Drink: Goat meat/cold beer

Favourite Music: Reggae and African jazz

Favourite Sport: Football

Hobbies: Camping, braaiing, jogging and reading

Car: Land Cruiser SW 76

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Clutter

Married: Yes; I am married to Munyadziwa

Children: Mixo, 16; Yinhla, 9

Clubs: None