Full Name: Victor Stephanopoli

Position: COO of MzansiSat

Main Activity of the Company: MzansiSat is building, and will operate, South Africa’s first telecoms satellite, which will supply cheap, stable and fast broadband to the entire country and beyond

Date and Place of Birth: February 7, 1991, Zurich

Education: Matric, Gordonstoun School, Elgin, Scotland; BA (with specialisation in film and broadcast production); professional and executive education and training at Harvard University

First Job: Assistant producer at On Demand News, previously Independent Television News (ITN)

Career History Prior to Current Position: On leaving ITN, I took up a broadcast liaison position at Olympic Broadcasting Services, before joining BalkanSat EOOD as an analyst and Scout_Sec as MD

Size of First Pay Packet: My passion for the tech industry has always been my reward

First Job with Present Group: Director of operations and regulatory affairs, in 2014

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: Six people

Management Style: Hands-off and results-based

Personal Best Achievement: It is an ongoing process

Professional Best Achievement: Bringing peer review into the game has been beneficial for everyone working with me

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: People from different places and in different contexts who had faith in me and gave me a chance

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: MzansiSat CTO Bernard Greyling, one of the few people who could take me on and challenge me intellectually and professionally. As one of the first people I met in South Africa on my arrival, he opened up and showed me the depth and wealth of this country’s culture and the social constructs governing it

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Nachito Pieres, a polo player, and Siyabulela Xusa, who worked on developing a record-breaking rocket and creating safer, more energy efficient rocket fuel

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Elon Musk – I also have extreme respect for Dr Julian Hosp, former CEO of TenX, who developed an easily accessible and secure platform for cryptocurrency interactions

Philosophy of Life: You don’t have to tell me everything; just don’t lie to me – if you need help, you’ll get it, but if you need money, work for it

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Coming to Africa to build my career as an entrepreneur

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not buying Netflix shares at rock bottom in 2012 to 2013 – when I had the opportunity

to do so

Hope for the Future: That South Africa regains confidence in itself and its vast capacities to positively change the continent and contribute to the global community

Favourite Reading: Harvard/MIT Sloan Management Review; Mastering the Market Cycle, by Howard Marks

Favourite TV Programme: Patriot Act with Hassan Minhaj, Lucifer, A Very Secret Service and Nightflyers

Favourite Food/Drink: French, Mexican and Japanese food. I also enjoy white wine and black coffee

Favourite Music: Hip hop and rap

Favourite Sport: Polo and boxing

Favourite Website: None

Hobbies: I have a passion for telecoms

Car: BMW 3-Series

Pets: None – I want a Corgi, though

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and self-serving behaviour

Favourite Other South African Company: Milkor and Discovery

Favourite Foreign Company: Dassault Aviation, McLaren Automotive and BOOM Aerospace

Married: Single

Children: None

Clubs: Inanda Club, Sandton