Mteto Nyati MD of Microsoft South Africa

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, 12