Full Name: Liz Gorbunov

Position: GM and chief marketing manager: light commercial vehicles and sports utility vehicles at Nissan Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Nissan is a vehicle manufacturer

Date and Place of Birth: December 18, 1982, Nelspruit

Education: BCom (business management, investment finance and marketing), University of the Witwatersrand; MBA, Gordon Institute of Business Science

First Job: Graduate trainee at Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA)

Career History Prior to Current Position: VWSA – sales and marketing graduate trainee; Lexus South Africa – assistant sales manager; Toyota South Africa – key accounts manager; Jaguar Land Rover – national sales manager for sub-Saharan Africa; Al Futtaim Motors, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) – senior sales support and senior passenger product manager; Nissan Africa – GM: sales and aftersales operations for sub-Saharan Africa

Size of First Pay Packet: R16 000

First Job with Present Group: GM: sales and aftersales operations for sub-Saharan Africa

Number of People under Your Leadership: Six

Management Style: This has evolved along with my upward movement, but I would say it is still largely a coaching leadership style

Personal Best Achievement: Graduating with an MBA

Professional Best Achievement: Working at Al Futtaim Motors UAE and being able to share South African and Middle Eastern best practice with my colleagues

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My 12-year-old daughter and various other people, including my brother, James, who is also in the motor industry and was my sounding board in the early years of my career

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: General Motors global CEO Mary Barra, who is the first female CEO of a global automotive company

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Oprah Winfrey

Philosophy of Life: Believe in the power of you

Biggest Ever Opportunity: The opportunity to work abroad

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Being passed up for a promotion

Hope for the Future: The continued success of females in the automotive industry

Favourite Reading: Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom

Favourite TV Programme: The Homeland series

Favourite Food/Drink: Anything with salmon/red wine

Favourite Music: My taste is cyclical – at the moment, it is classical music in the mornings and evenings

Favourite Sport: I am an Orlando Pirates Football Club fan. Manchester United is my favourite overseas football team. I also love rugby

Favourite Website: Luxury shopping websites

Hobbies: Travel and working out in the gym

Car: Nissan Navara

Pets: None currently, but contemplating a dog

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People with malicious intent

Favourite Other South African Company: MTN

Favourite Foreign Company: The company that has my attention is Massmart (Walmart)

Married: To Maxim

Children: Zamangwane, aged 12

Clubs: I have been putting off reinstating my World of Golf membership since my return from the UAE in 2016; however, I am back at Virgin Active