Full Name: Thandekile Jabulile (Jabu) Serithi

Position and Company Name: MD of GVK-Siya Zama’s business unit in Gauteng

Main Activity of the Company: GVK-Siya Zama is a proudly South African construction group involved in various projects related to infrastructure and development. Established in 1960 as a painting and restoration company, it has grown to manage large-scale construction projects nationwide

Date and Place of Birth: On July 21 sometime in the last century, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Schools and Tertiary Education: I hold a BTech degree in quantity surveying from Natal Technikon, now the Durban University of Technology

First Job: Intern quantity surveyor at Group 5 Industrial in KwaZulu-Natal

Size of First Pay Packet: A student stipend of R5 000 a month

Career Path to Date: I joined GVK-Siya Zama as a senior quantity surveyor in the company’s Gauteng business unit in 2009, before being promoted to commercial director for key projects in the same business unit in 2016. I was appointed as a group-level director in 2019 and as MD of the Gauteng business operations earlier this year

Value of Assets under Your Control: I am in charge of a business unit with a turnover of about R2-billion a year

Number of People under Your Leadership: 500

Management Style: The leadership quality I value most is agility – the ability to adjust to ever-changing circumstances and to work with people from a variety of backgrounds. I have been described as charismatic and democratic. As a leader and negotiator, I place great importance on stakeholder engagement and building strong rapport across all levels. Additionally, I believe that trust is fundamental to project delivery and client satisfaction in our industry, and I constantly remind myself that difficult conversations don’t need to strain relationships – as long as we remember that the common goal is shared success

Personal Best Achievement: Regaining functional health after major health scares. You may believe you have many problems, but if your health fails, you truly have only one problem

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Undoubtedly my father, who encouraged me to pursue my life’s dreams. Rest in peace, Baba

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: There are many and I would be in trouble if I mentioned only one. However, those who stand out most are the men and women in our industry who wake up at the crack of dawn to apply their skills with pride. They include the bricklayer who arrives on site at 06:00 to prepare for the day, and the CEO who creates a vision that allows people to thrive and prosper. I believe each of them has influenced my career

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Franklin D Roosevelt, the thirty-second President of the US, has always intrigued me. While he wasn’t without flaws, I’ve often wondered what gave him the determination and courage to lead America through the Great Depression and World War II, especially while living with the debilitating effects of what was believed to be polio. The ongoing turbulence during Donald Trump’s administration has deepened my curiosity about American history and the shifting nature of global superpowers. That curiosity led me to FDR, and I strongly suspect he may have had Guillain-Barré Syndrome rather than polio – hence my fascination with him

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Indra Nooyi – one of the very few female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies – has deeply impressed me. While she has had many accomplishments, what stands out most are her candid views on being a modern woman with a thriving career

Philosophy of Life: Grit and grace – if I can display grit in business and perform with grace under pressure, I would be living out my life’s philosophy

Biggest Ever Opportunity: I would say my recent appointment as MD of Gauteng. It is a new challenge for me, which I hope will afford me the chance to make a positive contribution in our industry

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Life throws many of those at us, but I don’t dwell too much on them. However, I would say poor project delivery – because I strongly believe this can be avoided

Hope for the Future: I envisage a future where we all work for the greater good of this wonderful country

Favourite Reading: I struggle to find time to read, but love listening to audiobooks while driving. Lately I have been drawn to the escapism offered by a good crime thriller!

Favourite TV Programme: The gangland of Peaky Blinders