Full Name: Steven Nathan

Position: CEO of 10X Investments

Main Activity of the Company: 10X Investments helps people retire with dignity by providing a simple, low-cost and transparent investment solution for company retirement funds and individual investors

Date and Place of Birth: December 20, 1967, Cape Town

Education: BCom, University of the Witwatersrand; CA(SA); CFA

First Job: After completing articles at EY, I became an investment analyst at stockbroker Ivor Jones, which was later acquired by Deutsche Bank

Career History Prior to Current Position: MD of Deutsche Bank in Johannesburg and London

Size of First Pay Packet: As an articled clerk, it was about R3 000 a month; once I qualified, it was about R14 000 a month

First Job with Present Group: Founder of 10X Investments

Value of Assets under Your Control: R11-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: 85

Management Style: Find great people, explain what they need to do and get out of their way

Personal Best Achievement: Having a healthy, happy family that loves me

Professional Best Achievement: Running Deutsche Bank’s Global Banks Research team

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My friend, Murray Winckler

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Michael Dell

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Jeff Bezos

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Jeff Bezos

Philosophy of Life: Be grateful, stay healthy and smile

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Two stand out: working with incredible mentors at Ivor Jones, who taught me to learn first principles and the substance of a subject rather than jargon, which is so prevalent in the investment world; and having access to listed company CEOs when I was an inexperienced investment analyst

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Every time we do not win a client, as we believe that we have a fantastic product that is likely to be the best for clients, but they do not know it

Hope for the Future: That South Africa becomes a safe, well-governed and economically prosperous country offering equal opportunities for all citizens

Favourite Reading: The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World, by Brad Stone

Favourite TV Programme: Fauda

Favourite Food/Drink: Woolworths’ dry cappuccino

Favourite Music: The Lumineers

Favourite Sport: MotoGP

Favourite Website: YouTube

Hobbies: Riding my Husqvarna off-road, being outdoors with my children, working out in the gym, cycling and reading

Car: A 2010 Audi Cabriolet

Pets: A dog named Lucy

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Arrogant, loud and ostentatious people

Favourite Other South African Company: Capitec

Favourite Foreign Company: Vanguard Investments

Married: To Karen, since December 16, 2002

Children: Sam, 14; Jack, 11; Ally, 9

Clubs: None