Full Name: Simbonile Ntshinka

Position: MD and partner at Itec Tiyende

Main Activity of the Company: Innovative digital and enterprise communications solutions

Date and Place of Birth: September 22, 1973, Umtata

Education: Matric, Ngangelizwe Senior Secondary School, Umtata, in the Eastern Cape; national diploma in mechanical engineering at the Eastern Cape Technikon (now Walter Sisulu University); BCom (economics), University of South Africa; managerial finance programme, Gordon Institute of Business Science

First Job: Engineering trainee and technical trainer in fluid (water) mechanics at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa)

Career History Prior to Current Position: I started my career at Necsa as an engineering trainee and technical trainer in fluid mechanics and then moved on to Professional Technical Group as a management consultant

Size of First Pay Packet: About R850, as an engineering trainee

First Job with Present Group: GM, in 2006

Value of Assets under Your Control: R33-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 115 personnel, including the interns who form part of our internship programme

Management Style: I am practical, reasonable and concise, and expect accountability from my team

Personal Best Achievement: I was the winner of the 2016 Itec Group Telecommunications Partner of the Year Award and of the 2018 Vodacom Business Partner of the Year Award

Professional Best Achievement: Managing the successful joint venture of Itec and Tiyende Telecommunications and positioning the business in the telecommunications space and the broader information and communication technology sector in South Africa

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Christo Badenhorst

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jack Ma

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Two women, both CEOs of Xerox Corporation in succession – Anne Mulcahy and Ursula Burns

Philosophy of Life: Be practical, be driven, be courageous, be accountable

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Being a partner at Itec

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Having had an untrustworthy business partner

Hope for the Future: That South Africa becomes a stable democracy, with high economic growth and a negligible unemployment rate

Favourite Reading: Biographies, history and business literature

Favourite TV Programme: History Channel

Favourite Food/Drink: Good wine

Favourite Music: Any good rhythm and blues song

Favourite Sport: Golf

Favourite Website: www.itectiyende.co.za

Hobbies: Playing golf and reading

Car: Jeep Grand Cherokee, SRT

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and self-serving behaviour and actions

Favourite Other South African Company: Investec

Favourite Foreign Company: Mitel Corporation and Alibaba

Married: Not married

Children: Lwando,16; Kwanda,11

Clubs: Not stated