Full Name: Rose Heathcote

Position: CEO OF Lean Institute Africa (LIA)

Main Activity of the Company: LIA is a not-for-profit organisation advancing lean thinking and practice in Africa

Date and Place of Birth: July 2, 1976, Johannesburg

Education: Industrial engineering

First Job: My father’s ‘apprentice’ at his factory – chief sanitation officer, beverage engineer and general worker

Career History Prior to Current Position: Founder, Thinking People; world-class manufacturing learning and development, South African Breweries; consulting, CCI International; supplier development, Automotive Industry Development Centre; industrial engineer, South African Airways; design engineer, EGO SA

Size of First Pay Packet: R50 a week

First Job with Present Group: LIA business associate – ten years ago

Value of Assets under Your Control: Our assets are our people, and they are invaluable

Number of People under Your Leadership: About ten

Management Style: Warm heart, cool mind

Personal Best Achievement: Surviving motherhood

Professional Best Achievement: Bringing about real, tangible, measurable change in public healthcare

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My daughter – she constantly teaches me to pause and smell the roses

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: LIA chairperson Professor Norman Faull – he taught me that it is okay not to know the answer

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: My future grandchildren

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk – he is tough but inspiring

Philosophy of Life: Love what you do

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Serving LIA and taking African Lean to the next level

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Contracting measles the day before a national dance competition 30 years ago

Hope for the Future: A greener future and Africa realising its full potential

Favourite Reading: The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

Favourite TV Programme: Game of Thrones

Favourite Food/Drink: Sushi/Sauvignon Blanc

Favourite Music: Lounge music

Favourite Sport: Mountain biking

Favourite Website: Amazon

Hobbies: Off-road biking

Car: Land Rover Discovery, but my next car will be all-electric

Pets: A dacshund, a guinea pig (called Rod Stewart because of his hairstyle), a rabbit and chickens

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Traffic, slow Internet

Favourite Other South African Company: Jackson’s Real Food Market

Favourite Foreign Company: Apple

Married: To Sean Heathcote, for nine years and counting

Children: A six-year-old with the best problem solving skills I’ve ever seen

Clubs: Zebula Golf Club