Full Name: Raj Nana

Position and Company Name: CFO of Attacq Limited

Main Activity of the Company: Attacq is a South Africa-based real estate investment trust that listed on the JSE in 2013 and has a diversified property portfolio that includes the award-winning Waterfall City, an integrated mixed-use precinct in Gauteng

Date and Place of Birth: November 14, 1982, Johannesburg

Schools and Tertiary Education: BAcc, University of the Witwatersrand; CA(SA)

First Job: Training Outside Public Practice article trainee with the FirstRand Group

Size of First Pay Packet: R6 000 a month

Career Path to Date: After completing my articles with the FirstRand Group between 2006 and 2008, I became a credit analyst at RMB in 2009, before joining Absa Capital as credit manager (leveraged finance and real estate) in 2010. Two years later, I was promoted to leveraged finance transactor. I joined Attacq as investment officer in 2014, becoming CFO in 2018

Value of Assets under Your Control: R4.5-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: Attacq has 158 employees

Management Style: Collaborative and democratic

Personal Best Achievement: Starting a family – it has brought an immense amount of joy but also taught me patience and selflessness

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife – she anchors and motivates me and, naturally, also tells me (quite often) when I am wrong

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My sister, who is a medical doctor – she reminded me that, with hard work and focus, anything is possible

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Nelson Mandela

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Richard Branson – his perseverance and resilience in spite of unsuccessful ventures are a lesson for all of us

Philosophy of Life: Be prepared. The harder you work, the luckier you get. But sometimes just take the leap, even if you don’t feel ready

Biggest Ever Opportunity: My folks sending me to university and paying for my tertiary education. This has been the foundation of my career, and hence my best opportunity ever

Biggest Ever Disappointment: At the time, partying too hard on campus and repeating a subject and, as a result, a year. In hindsight, there is a time and place for everything, and for me that was my time to learn an important lesson (and have fun too)

Hope for the Future: A reduction in youth unemployment in South Africa and, consequently, a change in the lives of generations to come

Favourite Reading: James Patterson novels; my latest literary love is the Where’s Spot? children’s book series

Favourite TV Programme: At the moment, Stranger Things. I love a good throwback to the 80s!

Favourite Food/Drink: Seattle Coffee’s Cappuccino

Favourite Music: Everything by Goldfish

Favourite Sport: Soccer

Hobbies: Running; actually, doing anything outdoors energises and invigorates me

Car: Not stated

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: None

Married: To Jyoti Nana

Children: I have a beautiful ten-month-old daughter named Liya

Clubs: None