Full Name: Tristan le Masne

Position and Company Name: MD for Southern Africa at Alstom

Main Activity of the Company: From high-speed trains to commuter trains, metros, monorails, trams, locomotives, turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, Alstom offers its diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. In South Africa, Alstom is involved in four entities: Gibela Rail Joint Venture (JV), Alstom Rolling Stock South Africa JV, Bombela Maintenance JV and Alstom Ubunye

Date and Place of Birth: August 21, 1980, Toulouse, France

Education: Master’s degree in management from ESCP Business School

First Job: I started as an apprentice at EY while studying and continued with the firm for five years after graduating

Size of First Pay Packet: I recall making $4.50 an hour in the US, working at a gas station in 1994

Career Path to Date: I started in external audit and then moved to internal audit, followed by finance and now general management

Value of Assets under Your Control: R12-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: 2 000 employees

Management Style: Situational and practical; I adapt my approach based on the situation. I believe that, if you understand your team and support their career growth, success follows naturally. I try to take ownership and provide thought clarity on complex topics in order to deliver outcomes

Personal Best Achievement: A recent highlight was running in the amateur marathon during the Paris Olympics. The scenery and atmosphere of the course were unique, and running during the night was fun

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My wife and parents are neck to neck on this one

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: The leaders who took a chance on me and provided me with growth opportunities beyond my field of expertise. They know who they are!

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Roger Federer, for his elegant tennis playing, a result of hard work, a mentality shift and his humility. He’s got South African blood!

Philosophy of Life: “Impose your chance, hold tight to your happiness and steer toward your risk. Looking your way, they’ll follow.” It’s a loose translation of a quote from French resistance poet René Char

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Leading the Southern Africa operations at Alstom is probably my biggest opportunity to date

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Losing talent is always disheartening, as it compromises your long game

Hope for the Future: That we become aware of our responsibilities towards future generations. The author William MacAskill articulates this very well

Favourite Reading: I am currently reading several insightful books on South Africa and Joburg

Favourite TV Programme: I completely binged on Breaking Bad a few years ago and, decades ago, I could spend weekends locked up, eating pizzas, in front of 24. More recently, I found Season 4 of True Detective quite photogenic, nerve-racking and funny

Favourite Food/Drink: I have many favourites; however, I learned to make pavlova from my brother, who is a talented cook. It’s an Australian dessert of meringue, Chantilly cream (vanilla recommended) and any fruit you have on hand. Of course, as a recent resident of South Africa, I need to upgrade my braai game!

Favourite Music: The Killers, but in the car the family listens to a lot of pop music – our two daughters’ influence is creeping in fast

Favourite Sport: Endurance sports, especially running and biking, hold special appeal due to their demands for grit, self-awareness, patience and focus on the long game

Hobbies: I like photography and look forward to capturing nice wildlife shots in and around South Africa

Car: Audi Q7, although I’m not much of a ‘car guy’. I also ride motorcycles occasionally

Miscellaneous Dislikes: I’m not big on complainers who don’t act

Married: To Florence, for almost 15 years

Children: Julia, 13; Ines, 10; Victor, 6