The story of my life started in a little mining town in South Africa where I was born. My father immigrated from the Netherlands and worked in the mines. My mother, a South African, unfortunately died 20 days after I was born. My older brother and sister went to stay with our grandmother, and I stayed with an uncle and aunt until the age of three when my father got married again.

 

During my school and tertiary years, I excelled as a leader – an attribute that stood me in good stead when I became the CEO of Medihelp at the young age of 39. It was not an easy road, for my father died in my first year at university and I had to pay my own way forward from then. I sold encyclopaedias, studied after hours and obtained a B Com Human Resource Management degree at the University of Pretoria.

 

I started my formal career at Medihelp and because of my love for people, their potential and how they can make or break any organisation, I was promoted to become the Human Resource Manager, thereafter served in other senior management positions and eventually became the CEO.

 

Over a period of 17 years, I took Medihelp to exceptional levels and as a result, they have been rewarded with several awards. The Orange Index best company on client service in all industries and the 7th best medium-sized company to work for in the Deloitte Best Company to Work for in South Africa survey. In 2009/10 and 2010/11, I was named one of the top 10 managers in the CRF’s publication, South Africa’s Leading Managers. After this, I became the Group CEO of Strata Healthcare Management (Pty) Ltd. After two years, the vision of the future between me and my colleagues diverged, and I left the company.

 

This decision freed me to start Monstrante® (Pty) Ltd where I now guide, teach, consult and mentor other enterprises and schools to realise their goals. I can now give back to South Africa, its companies, schools, learners and its people, from what I learned from my experience in a large corporate and in life. To do what I love to do.