Full Name: Alan Gordon Smith

Position: CEO of Blyvoor Gold

Main Activity of Company: Gold mining

Date and Place of Birth: September 21, 1955, Benoni, South Africa

Education: Vryheid High School; BSc (mining engineering), University of the Witwatersrand

First job: Barman

Size of First Pay Packet: R200 a month

Career Path to Date: January 1975 to June 2001, Anglo American Corporation; July 2001 to September 2003, New Diamond Corporation (CEO and director); December 2003 to January 2006, Lesotho Diamond Corporation (CEO and director); January 2006 to December 2009, KIVU Resources (CEO and director); June 2010 to July 2017, Incubex Minerals (CEO and director and later nonexecutive director); November 2011 to February 2014, SepFluor (CEO and director); September 2014 to date, BFluor Mauritius (owner and director); September 2016 to date, Blyvoor Gold (CEO and director)

Value of Assets under Your Control: R4-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: 400 employees and contracted project staff in various disciplines

Management Style: Participative

Personal Best Achievement: The turnaround at FreeGold in 1998

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: David Rankin, former AngloCoal chairperson

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Nobody comes to mind

Person Who Has Impressed You Most: Nelson Mandela

Philosophy of Life: Make a commitment and do your best – always

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Reopening Blyvoor Gold

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not having a daughter

Hope for the Future: That South Africa pulls through the extended period of political and institutional graft that has been so rampant and that, as a nation, we are able to make strides in rectifying the pressing issues facing the country

Favourite Reading: Sports biographies

Favourite TV Programme: The Good Wife

Favourite Food/Drink: Good steak/gin and tonic

Favourite Music: I enjoy listening to most music

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Hobbies: Golf

Car: Toyota Prado

Pets: Three dogs and two cats

Dislikes: The culture of entitlement

Married: To Lorraine

Children: Three sons: Lyle, 36; Wade, 34; and Ryan, 30

Clubs: Kimberley Club