Ralf Hennecke, MD of BME
Full Name: Ralf Cord Hennecke
Position and Company Name: MD of BME, a division of the Omnia Group
Main Activity of the Company: Supplying explosives products, related services and technology to the global mining sector
Date and Place of Birth: May 17, 1967, Hamburg, Germany
Education: I am a mining engineer with an MBA and a mine manager’s certificate of competence
First Job: Learner official: mining, as a Rand Mines bursar
Size of First Pay Packet: R450 a month
Career Path to Date: Rand Mines and JCI (where I worked in mining production), followed by BME, where I started as a technical representative, before progressing to international business manager; GM: international marketing; GM: customer, commercial and marketing; GM: marketing and technology; MD: Southern African Development Community region; and MD: BME
Value of Assets under Your Control: A sizeable market and infinite personal assets
Number of People under Your Leadership: About 1 600
Management Style: Participative and enabling, but delivery focused
Personal Best Achievement: My family
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My parents
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: I learned from all the people I ever reported to
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Roger Federer; for me, he is the most established tennis player, with his feet firmly placed on the ground
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Ricardo Semler (autobiography Maverick) – he provides the best examples of how to think outside the box
Philosophy of Life: Just do it! and “The only time ‘success’ comes before ‘work’ is in the dictionary”
Biggest Ever Opportunity: To successfully develop the African market for my current company from a virtual zero base
Biggest Ever Disappointment: That my late mother did not have the opportunity to enjoy her granddaughter
Hope for the Future: That we have a united and functioning South Africa, and that the rhino survives
Favourite Reading: Autobiographies (mainly business, adventure and sport) – it is just fascinating getting views from prominent people
Favourite TV Programme: All sports, news and talk shows
Favourite Food/Drink: Good old South African braai (with all accessories)
Favourite Music: A very diverse range of genres, but especially 70s and 80s rock
Favourite Sport: Soccer, tennis and golf
Hobbies: Travel, sport and music (listening and playing)
Car: VW Touareg
Pets: Three wonderful dogs – Scottie, Africanis and Pointer
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Traffic, queues, nonresponsiveness and dishonesty
Married: To Katja, for 25 years
Children: Kirsten Nadia, 12 years
Clubs: Eagle Canyon Country Club (Honeydew), Virgin Active 