Full Name: Stephen Francis Burks

Position: MD of Lycopodium ADP, Cape Town

Main Activity of the Company: Engineering design, procurement, construction management and the commissioning of metallurgical processing plants

Date and Place of Birth: January 4, 1959, Dodoma, Tanzania

Education: BSc (engineering – mineral processing option), University of the Witwatersrand, 1983

First Job: Smelter metallurgist, Impala Platinum

Career History Prior to Current Position: Impala Platinum, 1983 to 1988; Rand Mines (head office and Crocodile River Mine), 1988 to1991; Bateman (Van Eck & Lurie, Bateman Projects, Bateman Engineering, Bateman International), 1991 to 2010; Whittle Consulting, 2010 to 2014; MAC Consulting, 2014 to 2016; Advisian (WorleyParsons), 2016 to 2017

Size of First Pay Packet: R1 360 a month

First Job with Present Group: Current position

Value of Assets under Your Control: Difficult to estimate – the assets of engineering contractors usually consist only of the intellectual property associated with their staff and proprietary designs, as well as the value of their order book. Of course, these change all the time

Number of People under Your Leadership: Currently about 50, but varies considerably, depending on contract status

Management Style: Consultative, but decisive

Personal Best Achievement: Twenty-eight years of marriage, with a wonderful wife and children

Professional Best Achievement: Delivery of the international Skorpion zinc refinery, Sepon copper plant and Anglo Platinum precious metal refinery projects during the same period (roughly 2001 to 2003) while I was MD of Bateman Metals

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

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Dr John Herselman and Dr Sivi Gounden, past CEOs of Bateman

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Bill Bryson

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk

Philosophy of Life: Deliver what you promise, treat others with integrity and as you would like to be treated yourself

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Appointment to the executive committee of Bateman Projects in 1999

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Retrenchment (say no more!)

Hope for the Future: The return of a Rainbow Nation we will be proud of

Favourite Reading: Alternative history

Favourite TV Programme: QI

Favourite Food/Drink: Indian vegetarian/craft gin or craft beer

Favourite Music: Most rock music

Favourite Sport: Football, test cricket, sevens rugby (all as a spectator)

Favourite Website: Amazon (for ebooks)

Hobbies: Reading, country walks/hikes, strategic PC games, karaoke

Car: Jaguar XK (rather aged now)

Pets: Two dogs – a husky and a beagle

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Unnecessary bureaucracy

Favourite Other South African Company: African Rainbow Minerals

Married: To Hester Zaayman, since October 28, 1989

Children: Ciaran, 22; Liam, 20

Clubs: None