Full Name: Jan Jonatan Lourens

Position: MD of Thermaspray

Main Activity of the Company: High-technology coatings

Date and Place of Birth: July 18, 1958, Johannesburg

Education: BSc Eng (metallurgy), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); MSc (industrial), Wits; DEng (mechanical), Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg); Achieving Outstanding Performance, INSEAD, France; Strategic Management of Services, INSEAD

First Job: Officer Commanding South African Air Force Laboratory

Career History Prior to Current position: CEO of Rosenbauer, an Austrian manufacturer of firefighting vehicles; CEO of Draeger SA, a German manufacturer of personal protection and medical devices; various positions at Mercedes-Benz South Africa and DaimlerChrysler South Africa; CEO of CH Warman, a mining equipment company

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 300 a month

First Job with Present Group: MD

Value of Assets under Your Control: R80-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 65

Management Style: Visionary, pacesetting

Personal Best Achievement: Having a happy family

Professional Best Achievement: Having left every company that I did leave in a profitable state

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Christoph Kopke, Mercedes-Benz

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Stephen Hawking (now deceased)

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Warren Buffett

Philosophy of Life: If your attitude is right, there is always enough for everybody

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Buying Thermaspray

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Missing the opportunity to make peace with my father

Hope for the Future: That we temper the current environment, which is characterised by greed, and move back to Madiba’s ubuntu

Favourite Reading: Deon Meyer

Favourite TV Programme: Anything on old cars

Favourite Food/Drink: Oxtail and Rock Shandy

Favourite Music: Chris Rea

Favourite Sport: Athletics

Favourite Website: CNN

Hobbies: Old Land Rovers

Car: VW Amarok

Pets: A Jack Russel and a Schnauzer

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who have emigrated and now cannot stop slating South Africa

Favourite Other South African Company: Naspers

Favourite Foreign Company: Tesla

Married: To Gerda Janse van Rensburg, since April 29, 1989

Children: Jonathan, 36; Gerardt, 27; Jordaan, 26

Clubs: None