Full Name: Jurie Bezuidenhout

Position and Company Name: MD of The Capital Hotels, Apartments & Resorts

Main Activity of the Company: Hospitality

Date and Place of Birth: June 2, 1977, Somerset West, Western Cape Schools and Tertiary Education BAcc and MBA (cum laude), Stellenbosch University; CA(SA), South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

First Job: Articled clerk at PricewaterhouseCoopers

Size of First Pay Packet: Enough to afford a second-hand VW Jetta and rent at my parents’ house

Career Path to Date: Financial manager at Astral Foods, group financial manager at Cape Span, FD of PSG (Paladin Capital), MD of USN, and MD of The Capital Hotels

Value of Assets under Your Control: R1.8-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: 900 employees

Management Style: Empowerment and accountability. I love a collaborative team style with a definite element of entrepreneurship – I take risks!

Personal Best Achievement: Constantly striving to be the best version of me and delivering meaningful results that bring value to people

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Steven Jobs – I am absolutely fascinated by his mind and how he thought. I’ve read all the books ever written about him. He was a pure genius and a bit of a maniac, with a different mindset and approach to life that ended up changing the world and creating a trillion-dollar company

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Nick Wentzel, who has served as the CEO of Astral, Reunert and Parmalat South Africa, and my partner, Chantal

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Steve Jobs

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: There are many but, from a South African perspective, it would be Nick Wentzel, Shoprite’s Whitey Basson and Pep founder Renier van Rooyen

Philosophy of Life: Get it done right on time – every time. Even if you fail, use the opportunity to learn and go again. Take risks, fail, fail fast – but you will never know if you don’t take the ‘gut feel’ risk

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Right here where I want to be with The Capital

Biggest Ever Disappointment: My business failure in my 20s – when e-commerce was not around – trying to sell electronic equipment

Hope For the Future: South Africa is in a difficult space, but I always believe we as South Africans are so sought-after in First World countries because we are adaptable – we learn how to work in a broken state, we see opportunities and make things happen

Favourite Reading: Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs

Favourite TV Programme: I don’t really watch TV, except sport – specifically, Formula 1 and rugby

Favourite Food/Drink: A good old Sauvignon Blanc with braai vleis

Favourite Music: Queen

Favourite Sport: Formula 1 – Go Hamilton!

Hobbies: Reading and playing padel tennis

Car: Porsche GT4 – it’s not the fastest, but I smile up mountain passes

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Smoking

Married: I have a partner, Chantal Roets

Children: Mia, 13; Mieke, 9

Clubs: None