Full Name: Michelle Ruth Baron-Williamson

Position: CEO of Managed Integrity Evaluation (MIE)

Main Activity of the Company: MIE undertakes candidate and commercial background screening and vetting in Southern Africa

Date and Place of Birth: October 23, 1973, Durban

Education: A national diploma in information technology and a postgraduate diploma in business management

First Job: Junior computer programmer

Career History Prior to Current Position: I have worked for Absa, Discovery Health, Ivory Systems, Softline Recruitment and PBT Group

Size of First Pay Packet: R3 000

First Job with Present Group: Executive

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: 105

Management Style: Inspirational, transparent and honest

Personal Best Achievement: Bringing up my daughters as a single mother

Professional Best Achievement: Appointment as CEO of MIE

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I have been fortunate to have had many people play a supportive role in my career over the years

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: I would have loved to have met Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Asher Bohbot, founder of EOH

Biggest Ever Opportunity: I have been blessed with opportunities throughout my career to coach and offer guidance to colleagues and staff

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing my father and my brother in a space of two months

Hope for the Future: A South Africa that is safe, harmonious and prosperous for us all

Favourite Reading: Anything that offers self-development guidance and, for fictional escape, Jodi Picoult novels

Favourite TV Programme: Grey’s Anatomy

Favourite Food/Drink: Pizza/red wine

Favourite Music: Various genres, including rock, R&B, hip hop and alternative

Favourite Sport: Tennis and watching my daughters horse-riding

Favourite Website: Google

Hobbies: Spending time with my family and friends and anything involving my passion for animals

Car: Audi

Pets: Two dogs – Lily and Wallace – and three cats – Coco, Marmite and Forrest

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Fake people and dishonesty

Favourite Other South African Company: Woolworths

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple

Married: Divorced

Children: Two daughters aged 20 and 18