BACKSTORY: Chris Jardine of Tsebo Solutions Group

What’s your top tip for doing a deal?

You never win if there’s only one real winner. Make sure that the other side genuinely has a fair deal.

What was your first job?

I worked as an IT technician for a municipality near my varsity in the US.

How much was your first pay cheque, and how did you spend it?

About $1,500 a month (about R3,000 back then). I spent it mostly on rent, but also on part of my first course for graduate school and on impressing my girlfriend (now my wife of 33 years) — so overall it was a great investment.

What is the one thing you wish somebody had told you when you were starting out?

Breathe, don’t take yourself too seriously, and take advice from people with experience.

If you could fix only one thing in South Africa, what would it be?

Corruption and gatekeeping. We would unleash our potential across every segment of society and every sector of the economy if we didn’t have our resources stolen and if decisions were not delayed.

What’s the most interesting thing about you that people don’t know?

My favourite music while cooking on Sundays is anything gospel by Elvis Presley.

What’s the worst investment mistake you’ve made?

I’ve made a few but, honestly, none I haven’t moved on from.

What’s the best investment you’ve ever made? And how much of it was due to luck?

We bought a house just before the housing market boom over 20 years ago. The price practically doubled as we were closing the deal — all of it was luck, as we had no idea that it would happen at the time or as quickly as it did.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently, and why did you like it?

The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis. Besides being the story of the   first transition of US President Donald Trump’s administration into government, it’s a fascinating insight into the engine of the US state.

What’s the hardest life lesson you’ve learnt?

Always make the hard calls soon — very few difficult situations resolve themselves through a delay.

What phrase or bit of jargon irks you most?

“Synergy.” It’s often used to fudge an answer or make an option appear well thought out.

What is something you would go back and tell your younger self that would impress them?

I would tell my younger self that despite being a bit shy and nerdy, I’d one day have the privilege to lead a business having a positive impact across multiple countries and to affect many lives and communities, while staying true to my ideals.

I’d also share that AI, which consumed so much of my early adulthood, has grown to reshape industries and is on the cusp of reshaping society. I think my younger self would have been pleased to hear that idealism can have a place in a leadership journey.

If you were President Cyril Ramaphosa, what would you change, or do, tomorrow?

I would declare a service delivery state of disaster and then use every tool at my disposal to accelerate the private sector’s involvement in resolving the many challenges. As a country, we don’t lack the skills or capital to fix things in record time.