Full Name: Marwan Davids

Position and Company Name: Human resources executive at John Thompson

Main Activity of the Company: Boiler engineering, manufacturing and maintenance, as well as air quality services

Date and Place of Birth: November 9, Cape Town

Schools and Tertiary Education: Rylands High School, the University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science and Henley Business School

First Job: Part-time industrial psychology lecturer

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 500 a month

Career Path to Date: I started off as a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape, before being appointed human resources practitioner and later human resources team leader at MWEB, senior human resources manager: employee relations at MultiChoice South Africa, acting human resources director at M-Net, acting human resources GM at MultiChoice South Africa, head of group employee relations at MultiChoice Group, head of human resources at Hello Group and human resources executive at John Thompson

Number of People under Your Leadership: 14

Management Style: The two leadership styles which best describe me are situational and servant leadership

Personal Best Achievement: Completing my master’s degree in industrial psychology

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: The human resources GM of MultiChoice Group

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Warren Buffett

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Steve Jobs

Philosophy of Life: Be true to who you are

Biggest Ever Opportunity: To study at Henley Business School

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Repeating a year in primary school

Hope For the Future: That South Africa reaches its true potential

Favourite Reading: Science fiction

Favourite TV Programme: Game of thrones and The Big Bang Theory

Favourite Food/Drink: Burrito and apple juice

Favourite Music: R&B

Favourite Sport: Cricket

Hobbies: Gardening and going to the gym

Car: Hyundai

Pets: Rabbits, fish and a parrot

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Loadshedding, potholes, peak-hour traffic, water-shedding and sewage in the streets as a result of crumbling infrastructure

Married: To Janan Janine Dietrich

Clubs: Scouts