"We treat our staff as if they are owners of the business and encourage them to succeed."
Dippenaar, who addressed an attentive audience in a packed Dutch Reformed Church Hall in Courtenay Street, is the non-executive chairman of FirstRand, a financial services group active in banking and insurance. In 1977 he co-founded Rand Consolidated Investing with GT Ferreira and Paul Harris. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, FirstRand was formed in 1998.
A chartered accountant and chairman of Discovery, Momentum and OUTsurance, Dippenaar maintains that the individual companies in the group must function on their own and even compete with others in the group, but all must operate with Rand Merchant Bank's traditional vision as a goal. "We operate like the United States, 50 states independently but all under one constitution."
He said starting a business is just like having a baby. "For the first couple of years you need to give it all of your time and attention. And just as with family members, you cannot build a healthy, successful business based on rules. You need a stronger foundation based on values. From there the right behaviour and actions will follow."
He also advised business owners and managers to encourage their staff to be innovative and to reward all success - be it small or great. "Huge empires are built on small successes."
Dippenaar said that in the next five years they will expand into Nigeria and significantly increase their investment in West Africa. "Nigeria is set to become the crown jewel of Africa."
Award-winning TV journalist Freek Robinson acted as master of ceremonies and handled the question and answer session.
The main sponsors of the breakfast who ensured that Dippenaar could share his banking and management skills in George were Tile Africa and George Herald. Other sponsors were Lumenrock Financial Services, Coetzer de Beer Attorneys, Protea Hotels, Outeniqua Solar, Illa Clothing and SWD rugby. Grant Thornton, Niflas, Sanlam Private Wealth, Absa, FNB, Africa Skills Village and Safari Braai Products all reserved tables at the event.
The sponsors of the business breakfast are, from left: Fanie de Jager (Outeniqua Solar), Freek Robinson, Renier Kruger (Tile Africa), Ilse Schoonraad (George Herald) Laurie Dippenaar, Johan van Tonder (Tile Africa), Pieter Esterhuizen (Lumenrock) Louwrens Selzer (Organiser and Illa Clothing) and Werner Rall (SWD Rugby). Photo Myron Rabinowitz
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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