Full Name: Nelson Teixeira

Position and Company Name: MD for sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx

Main Activity of the Company: FedEx Corp provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services

Date and Place of Birth: October 9, 1970, in Cape Town

Schools and Tertiary Education: My secondary schooling took place at Athlone Boys and Edenvale High, while I received my tertiary education at Wits Technical College

First Job: In my first job, I loaded the Durban line haul for Sun Couriers, now DSV, in 1987. It was hands-on, operational work. Looking back, it was a great platform to learn early on how supply chains move, how to ensure goods move on time, and how every role in logistics matters

Size of First Pay Packet: Around R900 a month, which I spent on something for my mother

Career Path to Date: I have over 37 years of experience. Over the course of my career, I have established, managed, and owned courier and logistics businesses. My expertise spans domestic and international courier, retail distribution, e-commerce, pharma logistics, and warehousing

Value of Assets under Your Control: $46-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 1 004

Management Style: Collaborative and leading by example. I expect 100% from everyone.

Personal Best Achievement: Two things – raising two wonderful children, who have grown into amazing adults, and building two successful businesses from the ground up

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandfather

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Many people influenced my career along the journey, but the biggest influence came early in my career from Tony Delmeida at Sun Couriers – most probably the reason why I stayed the course in this industry

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Two people – one, unfortunately, is no longer with us, Nelson Mandela, and secondly Rassie Erasmus

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: I had the privilege of meeting this person before I joined FedEx – Fred Smith, founder of the company

Philosophy of Life: Do the right thing

Biggest Ever Opportunity: That would be the opportunity the logistics industry has given me – starting out at ground level, building my knowledge and expertise, which gave me the opportunity to start my own businesses, both in and beyond the logistics sector, and now I find myself at the helm of sub-Saharan Africa for FedEx, the biggest global express business

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Owning a restaurant. It was by far the most difficult (and the worst) investment I’ve ever made. It taught me that passion alone does not compensate for operational complexity. There were so many risks I was not aware of, which required prior calculations, and they proved to be too big for me

Hope for the Future: That, as a nation, we hit a turning point where we realise that education is the key to the success and future of our country, and make the required investment to make this a reality

Favourite Reading: Autobiographies of people from all walks of life

Favourite TV Programme: Chicago PD

Favourite Food/Drink: Italian food with a good glass of pinot grigio

Favourite Music: 80’s – an era of some of the best artists and the best music ever made

Favourite Sport: Obviously, rugby!

Hobbies: Riding vespas and cooking and travelling with my wife

Car: I would like to own a classic Porsche; however, I do love my Land Cruiser

Pets: None right now but I have had numerous dogs over the years

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Disorganisation and not having a plan

Married: To Deborah

Children: Jade, 25; Julio, 22

Clubs: I love golf but I am not consistent enough and don’t belong to a club. Maybe that is the reason for the poor consistency. I do belong to Jeppe Running Club – running keeps me physically and mentally fit