Full Name: Lili Nupen

Position: Director of Nupen Staude de Vries Inc

Main Activity of the Company: Nupen Staude de Vries Inc is a 51%-female-owned boutique law firm that specialises in mining, construction and environmental law

Date and Place of Birth: December 7, 1981, Johannesburg

Education: BSocSci; postgraduate LLB; dual MBA (cum laude)

First Job: Candidate attorney at Bowmans

Career History: I was a candidate attorney at Bowmans and then completed the dual MBA at Wits Business School (WBS) and HEC Paris, before joining law firm Malan Scholes Inc as an associate at its inception; when I left, I was a director of the firm. In October 2018, I started Nupen Staude de Vries Inc with my two partners

Size of First Pay Packet: A gross salary of R10 000 a month

First Job with Present Group: Director and founder

Value of Assets under Your Control: Not stated

Number of People under Your Leadership: We have grown from employing one junior in October 2018 to six employees who report to me

Management Style: I am a fair manager/leader, but have high expectations of my team members

Personal Best Achievement: Graduating cum laude with the dual MBA from WBS and HEC Paris

Professional Best Achievement: Founding my own firm – Nupen Staude de Vries Inc

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Hulme Scholes, for teaching me everything I know about mining law

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Thuli Madonsela – she is an incredible moral and ethical influencer in a calm, yet robust, way

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Arianna Huffington – she is a phenomenal woman

Philosophy of Life: Be better!

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Studying for the MBA degree in Paris

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Trusting certain individuals I believed supported me, only to find the contrary was true

Hope for the Future: That there is balance in all aspects of my life

Favourite Reading: I am currently reading Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens

Favourite TV Programme: The Good Wife

Favourite Food/Drink: A cup of Earl Grey tea and a muesli rusk – that is, if it is too early for a glass of ice-cold bubbly

Favourite Music: Coldplay

Favourite Sport: Ballet

Favourite Website: Mining Weekly or Superbalist (it’s a toss-up)

Hobbies: Ballet, spending time with my children and following up-and-coming South African artists

Car: Prado

Pets: Two standard French poodles: Leo and Zoe

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who chew too loudly and people who are negative about our beautiful country

Favourite Other South African Company: Anglo American

Favourite Foreign Company: Google

Married: To Cameron Staude

Children: Grace, 3; Adam, 1

Clubs: None