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Introduction

I believe it was part of my destiny that I attended the annual “Sake 24” Economist of the Year banquet late in 2010. It was at that function that I was approached by Lauren Thys from NB Publishers with the request to write a book about my life in business. A follow-up meeting took place in February 2011 with the commissioning editor, Gerhard Mulder, who convinced me to commit to the assignment. From the outset I was adamant that, for various reasons, I did not want to write an autobiography. However, I was prepared to share with a wider audience what I have learnt about business and leadership over my career spanning 38 years.

The opinions and suggestions contained in this book are presented in all humility. Because of the various twists and turns my career took, and in particular the ups and downs I experienced, I know full well that I do not have all the answers. However, I also feel that I have some valuable learnings and lessons to share since I learnt so much during my business journey, as well as from my mentors. Their perspectives, wisdom, insight and advice added enormous value to my life from both a personal and career point of view. Hopefully my many learnings will also be of benefit to you.

As you join me on my journey you will find that I recount the road travelled in two separate sections.

To provide context for the bulk of the content, namely my leadership approach and the lessons I learnt, the first section contains a brief overview of my childhood years and my experiences at both Toyota South Africa and the McCarthy Group. As my business career was mainly conducted in the public sphere, my family and I have decided to guard our privacy and keep our personal life out of the limelight. Even though personal references feature throughout, it is not the aim of this book to be autobiographical. The first section only aims to provide the canvas against which the lessons and insights about business and leadership should be interpreted. For this some autobiographical elements are necessary, but the main part of this book simply uses these anecdotes, tales and the chronological exposition of my career as a backdrop.

I have tried my best to share some of the highs and lows in an open and sincere manner. During my childhood years in the small Free State town of Bultfontein, I never imagined that I would one day have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the top brass in the motor industry. Nor did I expect that I would be exposed to the range of experiences I encountered, from the excitement of attaining market share and customer satisfaction leadership at Toyota, to the challenge of trying to turn around a technically insolvent McCarthy. Whilst dealing with the recapitalisation of the group, I also had to face an aggressive interrogation during the Section 417 enquiry which followed the unfortunate liquidation of Retail Apparal Group in 2002. In 2004 my life changed again when Bidvest acquired McCarthy, after the company had successfully been restored to financial health. More valuable learning experiences occurred as a member of the “Proudly Bidvest” team. All in all I was incredibly blessed to have been exposed to such a broad spectrum of different people, challenges and opportunities, both here and abroad.

The heart of this book is contained in the second section in the various chapters dealing with leadership. Despite the fact that so much has already been written on the subject (according to Google, almost 15m books), a constant demand remains for more insights and practical advice. My input on the fascinating subject of leadership is not meant to contribute to the academic theory, but is intended to add some value to the debate on what constitutes effective leadership. Because of the nature of my experience, my input has a distinctly local flavour. There is no doubt that leaders in South Africa face some unique challenges, not only because of our history, but also because of the current realities and likely future environment.

This section will take you on a journey first through the environment in which leaders need to function and thrive. It deals with some guidelines for effective leadership. I also expand on my own philosophy and explain why principled servant leadership became the goal I pursued during my business career. I furthermore cover two areas where I applied my leadership approach and illustrate the lessons learnt in both customer service and marketing. Marketing efficiency and service excellence, which are both keys to sustainable business success, are subjects I feel very passionate about. Although some of the case studies date back to my days at Toyota, I am of the view that the principles we applied are timeless.

Considering our unique South African environment and the dire need for exceptional leaders, Chapter 11 probes business leadership and its role in our country. In this chapter I deal with actions business leaders can take to help build a better future for all South Africans. I feel very strongly about the acceptance of co-responsibility, as well as the broader role business needs to play in society. Our young democracy is at a fragile stage of development, and we cannot afford to be passive.

In the last chapter I share my views about the changing face of leadership and the challenges ahead. I provide some closing thoughts on leadership, success and significance.

I am humbled by the responsibility of sharing my views and advice with you. It is an attempt to give back. I trust that you will enjoy this journey with me through the fascinating landscape of business and leadership. It is my hope and prayer that you will find something of value along the way.

Brand Pretorius

23 June 2012