Full Name: Stephen Goldberg

Position: CEO of Selpal

Main Activity of the Company: Selpal provides retailers in the informal sector with a platform to sell a full suite of virtual products and produces deep data that brings efficiency and transparency to the informal sector supply chain. Selpal enables online ordering and cashless payments throughout the supply chain

Date and Place of Birth: March 14, 1974, Johannesburg

Education: Chartered accountant

First Job: Barman in Rosebank, Johannesburg

Size of First Pay Packet: R60

Career History Prior to Current Position: After completing articles at Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein, I joined the investment banking business of Peregrine Holdings, where I was involved in the execution of private-equity transactions and provided corporate finance advisory services. Thereafter, I joined Buffet Investments, where I was involved in identifying, implementing and managing private-equity transactions. On leaving Buffet Investments in December 2008, I cofounded Exit Holdings, an investment holding company with interests in fast-moving consumer goods distribution, consumer electronics and financial services. I cofounded Selpal in 2013 and became joint CEO of the company in March 2016

First Job with Present Group: Cofounder

Value of Assets under Your Control: About R30-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 60

Management Style: I like to empower people, give them the framework within which to work, and allow them to bring their best to the table
Personal Best Achievement: Achieving top marks in an overseas leadership programme a few years ago

Professional Best Achievement: I feel really proud of what we have achieved with Selpal

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late grandfather. At just 13 years of age, he came to South Africa by himself and, despite not being able to speak any local languages, managed to build a successful family business through hard work and determination

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My supportive wife – she is my compass and sets the direction and the tone of our lives

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: I would love to have met Winston Churchill – he epitomised leadership in the most desperate of times

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Probably Donald Gordon, the founder of Liberty

Philosophy of Life: You are on this planet for a limited period; it is much easier to regret the things that you have done than the things that you have not done

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Selpal, for sure

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The very first deal that I worked on in my private-equity career was a dream deal – I worked on it for more than nine months and it would have ‘put me on the map’. Unfortunately, the deal fell apart at the eleventh hour

Hope for the Future: That South Africa realises its potential

Favourite Reading: Current affairs, but I also read history and biographies

Favourite TV Programme: My middle son has got me watching Hawaii 5-0

Food/Drink: Hamburger, chips and a Coke

Favourite Music: 90s alternative

Favourite Sport: Boxing

Favourite Website: News24

Hobbies: Drawing

Car: Jeep Wrangler

Favourite Other South African Company: Capitec

Favourite Foreign Company: Berkshire Hathaway

Married: To Jolene, since August 22, 2002

Children: Jesse, 10; Ethan, 10; Jake, 8

Clubs: Yip! I need a new set of clubs