Full Name: Reon Barnard

Position and Company Name: CEO of Tabono, chairperson of the Sekta Group, director and shareholder of Jabali Mining Services, co-founder of BCR Holdings and director of Barrock

Main Activity of the Company: Tabono facilitates highly-sought-after transactions from pit to port by leveraging the powerful combination of deep expertise and vast networks

Date and Place of Birth: August 19, 1982

Schools and Tertiary Education: BCom in Finance, Stellenbosch University; Executive MBA, Tsinghua INSEAD, Beijing; International Directors’ Programme, INSEAD; Leading from the Chair, INSEAD; Expert Negotiation, Gordon Institute of Business Science; Ethics Certification, the Ethics Institute of Directors Southern Africa; Certified Director, Institute of Directors South Africa

First Job: Store manager for tyres and spares at ORT, our family-owned transport business

Career Path to Date: After graduating from university, I returned to my hometown of Upington to join the family business founded by my grandfather. When the business was sold within a few months, I spent the next three years gaining insights into the logistics and commodities industries, navigating both a commodities boom and the 2008 financial crisis. With visionary partners and a touch of chutzpah, we applied for mining rights. Our patience and resilience paid off as the market moved in our favour. I have learnt that selecting knowledgeable and dynamic partners has consistently been the standout catalyst for business growth and diversification

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 5 000 employees across all the businesses in which I directly or indirectly hold a stake

Management Style: Transformational

Personal Best Achievement: Resolving challenging fundraising requirements for one of the not-for-profit organisations I support

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Gary Player – a dear friend, father figure and role model. He has put our beloved country on the map through his dedication to golf, and has imparted a powerful message of hope, pride and patriotism to all South Africans over the years. He truly inspires me to strive for a better future

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Patrice Motsepe, Johan Rupert and Ivan Glasenberg impress me with their approach to business

Philosophy of Life: You get one life; use it well

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Growing up, I always believed that, after finishing school and my tertiary studies, there would be a place for me in the family business. But, shortly after my graduation, my grandfather sold the business. While it shouldn’t have felt personal, it did at the time – my safety net was gone

Biggest Ever Opportunity: In hindsight, rethinking my plans led to my greatest opportunities. A series of events that followed set me on my current path – meeting and marrying my wife and entering the resources industry

Hope For the Future: That Africa rises to its true potential. There are many, many reasons why our continent’s golden era is still ahead

Favourite Reading: Biographies and autobiographies – there is so much to learn from the journeys of other people, especially businesspeople I respect. Recently, I thoroughly enjoyed The Life of a Business Icon about Anton Rupert, by Ebbe Dommisse, and Indra Nooyi’s autobiography, My Life in Full

Favourite TV Programme: I don’t watch TV

Favourite Food/Drink: A good steak

Favourite Music: I listen to a wide variety of music – from country to alternative rock. I also enjoy Afrikaans music

Favourite Sport: Golf, rugby, cricket and tennis

Hobbies: Exercising, golf, travel, art and archery

Pets: Three dogs, two cats and three fish

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Pessimism, greed and dishonesty