Full Name: Marius Hendrik Wessels

Position: Manager: professional services at SYSPRO Africa

Main Activity of the Company: SYSPRO is an enterprise resource planning services provider

Date and Place of Birth: May 19, 1984, Bloemfontein

Education: Industrial engineering, University of Pretoria, 2002 to 2007

First Job: Business analyst at iPlan, 2008 to 2009

Career History Prior to Current Position: I worked for iPlan as senior business analyst from 2009 to 2010, as project manager from 2010 to 2014, as regional principal from 2014 to 2018 and as GM in 2019, before joining SYSPRO as key accounts manager, a position I held from 2019 until I was promoted to my current position in 2020

Size of First Pay Packet: R7 500 a month

First Job with Present Group: Key accounts manager

Number of People under Your Leadership: 51

Management Style: I am a macromanager, and my management style is also collaborative because I like to create an open forum for ideas to be discussed

Personal Best Achievement: Getting married to my wife

Professional Best Achievement: Being appointed as the professional services manager for SYSPRO Africa

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father-in-law, Gideon van Eeden

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Johan du Toit

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Donald Trump

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk

Philosophy of Life: You need to have a balanced life – work, family and personal time

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being the project manager for the Mopani copper mine implementation in 2012 and 2013

Hope for the Future: That we may have a successful, progressive South Africa, and a good life for all, and that the element of fear is eliminated from our minds and hearts as the people of this country

Favourite Reading: Thirteen Hours, by Deon Meyer

Favourite TV Programme: Top Gear

Favourite Food/Drink: Braaivleis with pap

Favourite Music: 80s music

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Hobbies: Exercising, being outdoors and camping

Car: An Aston Martin DB9

Pets: Three dogs and fish

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonest people

Favourite Other South African Company: South African Breweries

Favourite Foreign Company: Tesla

Married: To Marilize van Eeden for the past ten years

Children: Liza, 8; Annemie, 5

Clubs: None