Full Name: Logan Naicker

Position and Company Name: CEO of Alstom Ubunye

Main Activity of the Company: Alstom Ubunye manufactures, services and maintains rail products and components for the local and export markets. For the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s new X’trapolis commuter trains, it manufactures mechanical and electrical components. The mechanical components include end-under-frames, bogies and bogie frames, while the electrical components include traction converters, static converters, high-voltage boxes and looming products, among others. It also maintains and services locomotives and components of the Gautrain

Date and Place of Birth: August 10, 1974

Education: Management Advancement Programme, Wits Business School, 2011; MBA, Wits Business School, 2014

First Job: My first job, in June 1995, was as a blue-collar worker on the truck assembly line at Toyota South Africa Motors in KwaZulu-Natal

Size of First Pay Packet: R460 a week

Career Path to Date: Starting as an assembly operator, I worked my way up at Toyota and was engineering senior manager when I left in 2008 to join Robertson & Cane as operations manager and later as GM. I later worked for UCW as senior production manager, for Ford Motor Company as area manager (assembly operations), and for Bombardier Transportation as site and operations head. I joined Alstom Ubunye as MD/COO in 2018, before being promoted to CEO in 2021

Number of People under Your Leadership: 600

Management Style: Highly adaptive to the situation, fair and transparent

Personal Best Achievement: Growing my family and having two beautiful daughters

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother – she was influential in developing my resilience and positive attitude towards life and its challenges

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I have had several good mentors in my career. One of them left an indelible mark on my leadership development and had a massive influence on my development and growth

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi – I would like to engage them about their selfless sacrifice and excellent character, despite the tough challenges they experienced throughout their lives

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Ricardo Semler, the majority shareholder of a company called Semco – he took control of his father’s business at a young age and completely transformed the way people should be led in an organisation

Philosophy of Life: Nothing is impossible. You can achieve what you aspire to, as long as you remain focused and committed, despite the obstacles that may be in your path

Biggest Ever Opportunity: The first time I led a team in an organisation, which was tough and complex but ultimately rewarding for my growth and development

Biggest Ever Disappointment: That our country, South Africa, with tremendous growth potential, has not capitalised on the opportunities in the global market

Hope for the Future: To continue to grow as a person and become a more significant contributor to those around me

Favourite Reading: Seven-Day Weekend, by Ricardo Semler, and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John C Maxwell

Favourite TV Programme: A wide range of preferences – it depends on the mood

Favourite Food/Drink: Seafood

Favourite Music: It depends on the mood

Favourite Sport: Football

Hobbies: Golf and reading

Married: Yes, for 19 years now

Children: Two daughters aged 17 and 7

Clubs: Kaizer Chiefs and Liverpool FC