Full Name: Mteto Nyati
Position: MD of Microsoft South Africa
Main Activity of the Company: Software development, marketing and sales
Date and Place of Birth: December 21, 1964, Eastern Cape
Education: BSc (mechanical engineering), University of Natal, 1985
First Job: Engineer-in-training, Afrox, Selby
Career History Prior to Current Position: I worked for Afrox, a gas and healthcare group and Tastic Rice Corporation in various engineering roles, before practising as as a manufacturing consultant. Later I joined packaging group Nampak, where I implemented manufacturing techniques like total quality management, total productive maintenance, just-in-time manufacturing and business process re-engineering. I also worked for IBM for over a decade, including an assignment in Paris, IBM’s European headquarters, where I led the strategy for serving small and medium-sized enterprises through channel partners
Size of First Pay Packet: R1 300 a month
First Job with Present Group: MD
Value of Assets under Your Control: Not disclosed
Number of People under Your Leadership: More than 400
Management Style: Setting the pace and leading by example
Personal Best Achievement: Being named a Yale World Fellow in 2004
Professional Best Achievement: Leading a team that turned around IBM South Africa’s then struggling information technology services business
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother, who rose above her circumstances
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Marc Lautenbach, GM of IBM Americas
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Jack Welch, former CEO of GE
Philosophy of Life: Strive to reach beyond your own reach
Biggest Ever Opportunity: IBM international assignment, based in Paris, France, to build a channel to serve small and medium-sized business customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Biggest Ever Disappointment: A bad hiring decision at senior level
Hope for the Future: People seeing one another as one people – they truly are
Favourite Reading: Born to Succeed, by Colin Turner
Favourite TV Programme: Believe It or Not
Favourite Food/Drink: Seafood
Favourite Music: Pop – Michael Jackson
Favourite Sport: Soccer
Favourite Website: http://www.nyati.myheritage.com/
Hobbies: Cycling, travelling, writing, reading and coaching
Car: Mercedes-Benz
Pets: None
Miscellaneous Dislikes: The inability to own up and lies
Favourite Other South African Company: South African Breweries
Favourite Foreign Company: Walmart
Married: Zoleka Ngalwa, February 18, 1993
Children: Anda, 12Labels: Microsoft South Africa, Mteto Nyati
