Full Name: Zakithi Zama

Position and Company Name: Stakeholder relations manager at Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA)

Main Activity of the Company: MCSA is South Africa’s mining industry employers organisation that supports and promotes the mining industry

Date and Place of Birth: March 1968, Durban

Education: MBL, BCom

First Job: Project coordinator at Umlazi College for Further Education

Management Style: Facilitative – managing stakeholder relations requires flexibility, balance and collaborative actions

Personal Best Achievement: Attaining my three degrees while working full-time

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My maternal grandmother for the life principles she instilled in my mother, Dulcy Zama: “Try, get defeated and become frustrated; get back up and succeed.” I am now transferring the same principles to my daughter

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: My aunt, Cynthia Zama-Mpati – she taught me about resilience and professional integrity at the workplace

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Aliko Dangote, the owner of the multibillion-dollar diversified Dangote Group

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Someone I call a friend, Nokuthula Luthuli, who is the founder and MD of Bloom Marketing. She is a passionate business woman with boundless energy and endless enthusiasm

Philosophy of Life: Become the architect of your own future – from thoughts to actions

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Aunt Cynthia, who was the executive director of Umlazi College, gave me a huge responsibility straight after college: I was put in charge of the administration of the project she established to train unqualified teachers to certification level of accreditation

Biggest Ever Disappointment: I see setbacks as preparation for the best to come – I tend to grow from most of my challenging experiences

Hope for the Future: Well-resourced primary education in our country

Favourite Reading: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

Favourite TV Programme: Lifestyle programmes, in general

Favourite Food/Drink: Being in Cape Town allows me to sample world-class cuisine

Favourite Music: Rhythm and blues

Favourite Sport: Tennis

Hobbies: Hiking and swimming; I am trying to get back into golf

Car: Porsche Cayman S

Pets: None

Miscellaneous Dislikes: I have learned to ignore things I am likely not to like

Married: Single

Children: Thembelihle, 30

Clubs: None