Gift Nyambe, GM: Technical at Air Products, a manufacturer of atmospheric gases
Full Name: Bangixhanti Gift Siyambulela Nyambe
Position and Company Name: GM: Technical at Air Products
Main Activity of the Company: Air Products is a manufacturer of atmospheric gases, with customers across multiple industries, and is the world’s leading supplier of hydrogen. In South Africa, the company manufactures and supplies industrial and specialty gases to various industrial and healthcare customers
Date and Place of Birth: January 6, 1980, Barberton, Mpumalanga. However, I grew up in Engcobo, in the Eastern Cape, having been brought under the care of my paternal grandmother when I was three months old
Schools and Tertiary Education: For my primary education, I attended schools in Engcobo and Idutywa, in the Eastern Cape, and was taught by my late maternal grandmother in Sub A (now Grade 1). For high school, I attended St Johns College, in Umthatha, where I completed Standard 8 and 9 (now Grade 10 and 11), before moving to Lowveld Private School, in White River, for Standard 10 (now Grade 12). I completed a National Diploma and a Bachelor of Technology, both in mechanical engineering, at Tshwane University of Technology, before proceeding to the University of Johannesburg, where I graduated with a Master of Technology in Operations Management and a Master of Philosophy in Engineering Management. I also completed the Management Advancement Programme and the International Executive Development Programme at the Wits Business School
First Job: Trainee engineer in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry
Size of First Pay Packet: R2 000 a month – from January to May 2003; this amount was increased by 25% to R2 500 in June of the same year and by 75% to R4 500 three months later, in September
Career Path to Date: I started working as a trainee engineer on January 27, 2003, at an FMCG compnay. I then rose to the position of maintenance planner and subsequently production controller. I left after four years to join a company in a different industry as an engineer, responsible for projects of different sizes. I worked for this company for almost nine years. I spent almost seven years with my next employer, in the same industry, starting as national installations manager, before being appointed as industrial manager (operations manager) and later as the director responsible for project management. About 28 months ago, I joined Air Products South Africa in my current role
Number of People under Your Leadership: 47
Management Style: Situational – I’m hard on results but soft on people
Personal Best Achievement: My family
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My late grandparents and my late uncle
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: No one in particular; however, different people had significant influences on my life and my career at different stages
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mthetho Nyati, the current chairperson of Eskom and BSG
Philosophy of Life: Give your best and the universe will reward you. Let integrity be your true north guide
Hope For the Future: The future is the culmination of the efforts you put in today, and it is in your hands – what you make of it is up to you. Today is a window of opportunity for a better tomorrow
Favourite Reading: Leadership memoirs, and business and leadership books. Recent reads include 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene, The Corporate Revolutionary, a biography of Mervyn King, by David William, and Open Strategy, by Christian Stadler
Favourite TV Programme: Current affairs, geopolitics, business and economic news
Favourite Food/Drink: Oxtail and samp; I do not have a favourite drink
Favourite Music: Soulful, R&B and gospel
Favourite Sport: Soccer and rugby
Hobbies: Spending time with my family, church activities and discussing current affairs with friends
Car: A Volvo XC90, a Mitsubishi ASX and a Ford Focus
Married: To Thandi Nyambe
Children: Lubabalo Amile, 8; Kamva Avile, 6; Siyabulela Anele, 5
Clubs: Engineering Council of South Africa (registered professional), the Southern Africa Compressed Gases Association (representative of Air Products and chairperson of the board) 