Full Name: Lance Craig Schultz

Position: CEO, Automotive Industrial Development Centre (AIDC), Gauteng

Main Activity of the Company: The AIDC is as a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, an entity owned by the Gauteng provincial government’s Department of Economic Development. It was established as a government support centre to increase the local automotive industry’s global competitiveness and to promote Gauteng as the automotive industry investment destination of choice

Date and Place of Birth: January 28, Cape Town

Education: MBA, Nelson Mandela University (NMU); BSc (Hons) (industrial engineering), University of Pretoria; bachelor’s degree (operations management), NMU; national diploma (operations management), NMU; Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Global Network Consulting

First Job: Industrial engineer, Mercedes-Benz, West Bank, East London

Career History Prior to Current Position: CEO, Centurion Aerospace Village, 2015 to January 2019; CEO, AIDC, Port Elizabeth, 2014 to July 2015; departmental manager: supply chain and supplier development, AIDC, Port Elizabeth, 2006 to 2014; project director (on secondment), Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park, 2005 to 2006; senior project manager: supply chain and supplier development, AIDC, Pretoria, 2002 to 2005

Size of First Pay Packet: R11 000

First Job with Present Group: Senior project manager: supply chain and supplier development

Value of Assets under Your Control: R800-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 140 staff members

Management Style: A combination of democratic leadership, strategic leadership, transformational leadership, team leadership, cross-cultural leadership and facilitative leadership

Personal Best Achievement: My academic achievements, despite coming from a previously disadvantaged community on the Cape Flats, in Cape Town

Professional Best Achievement: Being an engineer

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Good friends and my three children

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dr Paulo Fernandes

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Donald Trump

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Bill Gates

Philosophy of Life: Respect and learn new ideas and the latest ways of managing things

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Joining the AIDC in 2002

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Lack of gender equality in boardrooms and gender disparity in the engineering field

Hope for the Future: Youth that have aspirations and skill sets that match workplace needs

Favourite Reading: Books by Stephen King and Robert Langdon, and engineering titles

Favourite TV Programme: Most comedy shows and sport

Favourite Food/Drink: Curry and seafood/good red wine

Favourite Music: Jazz and easy-listening music

Favourite Sport: Football (I am a Manchester United fan) and international rugby

Favourite Website: News24 and CNN

Hobbies: Reading, watching good genre movies, gardening, cooking a good potjie, cycling and working out in the gym

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Gender inequality

Favourite Other South African Company: Old Mutual, PPS

Favourite Foreign Company: Google

Married: To Raylene, since 2015

Children: Sasha-Lee, 25; Jarryd, 17; Hannah, 2

Clubs: Various vocational societies