Phil has more than 24 years’ experience in the fast-moving consumer goods industry in various senior positions. Phil has previously served as COO – Africa for Coca Cola SABCO and as an Executive Director at Tiger Brands.
My Definition Of Success | Success is two-fold. My job is extremely important to me. That said, as I have matured more, my family and caring for others in a meaningful way is reaching heightened focus.
I Am Driven By | I hate losing. I am highly disciplined and somewhat of a perfectionist. High performance outcomes are an imperative.
My Highlights | Meeting my career aspirations, my marriage of 18 years, and my wider family.
The Difference Between Good And Great | Discipline and never accepting mediocrity.
A Key Talent | Being both strategic and operational. Be prepared to take risks, and pursue a non-traditional career. Learn – learn – learn!
Principles I Live By | I believe in hard work, being forthright, and authentic.
How I Use My Mind | You need mental and physical fitness. To the former you need to continuously be expansive in your thinking. Being an avid reader assists this. You literally need to train yourself on this type of integrative thinking ability. To the latter I stay very fit physically. Train at 5 am and cycle on road over weekends.
Lessons I Have Learnt | Judge less. Manage impetuousness. EQ counts a lot! Never compromise on standards. Hiring the best talent is critical. Never compromise integrity.
Dealing With Doubt | I am continuously fearful and anxious. It comes with high performance. I work harder to compensate which may seem counterintuitive. Plan and manage the detail relentlessly. Lean on my family for support.
Performing At My Peak | Keeping my mind and body ‘fit’ and never becoming over confident –hubris.
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | Business literature, ex CEO’s and mentors.
My Future Dreams And Ambitions | I want to leave Pioneer in much better shape and organizational health that I found it. I may retire early and take on a different career or go on to lead an even bigger corporate.
The Meaning Of Life | We all need purpose. Work defines a lot of who I am. I love my family dearly and want to see them prosper and support them to the hilt. I also support many others financially which is rewarding.
The Best Advice I’ve Received | Don’t be so hard on yourself. Difficult to apply.
On Inspiring Others | I try to inspire them. I create a visualization of the future. I work them really hard and don’t tolerate sub-standard performance. Those that count respond to it well. I try to care about the whole person.
I Am Inspired By | My deceased father. I don’t emulate anyone in particular. There have been many business greats. I am my own man.
The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | Having added value to lives.
Mavericks is a surfing location in Northern California where storm-waves can top out at over 60 feet with many actually being recorded on the Richter Scale!! It is also the home of the Mavericks Big Wave International Surf Contest for a select few of the world’s best big wave surfers. Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker has won […]
Simeon Oriko is a young entrepreneur, who is the founder and Executive Director of The Kuyu Project, which is a digital literacy initiative aimed at teaching African high school students how to use social media and other digital tools to effect social change in their communities. Another project Simeon is involved in is Jamlab which […]
David is one of the co-founders at Sanergy. David has worked at Ignia Fund in Mexico and at Endeavor. He was the Deputy Chair for Poverty Alleviation at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005-2006, and taught in China for two years. David holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and a BA with distinction from Yale […]
Kojo Baffoe is best known as at the editor of Destiny Man magazine where he has combined his interest in business, and his a passion for people with his obsession with writing. His prolific writing and creative drive has seen him spread to poetry, blogging and everything else. What I Do | I guess it […]
Schuyler Vorster, founder and director of the IC | IC, says that the global increase in the demand for shared office spaces has much to do with the coworking business model which is based on the importance of community, innovation, and providing ways for businesses to run leaner. What is Schuyler Vorster, LIFE-MISSION in one […]
Every month I select someone out there who is still a bit too young to be concerned about building and leaving a legacy, but who is nevertheless absolutely ‘crushing’ it and Banele Christopher is my pick for this month’s RISING STAR. With a background in strategic communications, he is a Jozi-based entrepreneur and social media […]
I first spotted Seth Hulley surfing as a ‘grom’ in Umhlanga Rocks in the 80’s and even way back then it wasn’t hard to see that this young man was going to go all the way. He was everything a surfer needs to be: blond, tanned, strong, athletic, fun, bad-assed, uber-confident and competitive. You name […]
Some entrepreneurs are so ridiculously prolific, talented and ‘out-there’ that they get to take on the status of ‘celebrity’ entrepreneur. In my opinion, David Donde is one of those. I know this for a fact because I get to experience both the brand and the products that David brings to the market almost every day […]
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