The CEO ABC Q and A with Tanya Hulse

As published in the July issue of Skyways Magazine 

The CEO ABC Q&A

A:

1.       Added Value: What do you do for fun?

a.       My weekends are usually taken up with my kids’ social lives and all the errands that didn’t get done during the week!  But when we have the opportunity, a scuba dive to check out the sharks on Aliwal Shoal ranks highly, as does time in the bush.

2.       Aspirational Brand: Who were your heroes or mentors coming up through the ranks?

a.       I have had the privilege of working in organisations led by phenomenal South African leaders such as the late Graham McKay of SAB. I am also inspired by stories of success from women leaders locally and around the globe – like Maria Ramos, Angela Merckel, and Aung San Suu Kyi.

3.       Auditor: Who keeps you grounded?

a.       My family, specifically my husband but also my kids – ten- and eight-year-old girls can be very frank with their feedback!

B:

1.       Bookkeeping: What are you reading?

a.       Work-wise I’m busy with Art Byrne’s seminal book, ‘The Lean Turnaround’.  On the personal side I’m really enjoying the latest work from a fantastic African author, Ekow Duker, called ‘The God Who Made Mistakes’.

2.       Brain Drain: What behaviours in others really annoy you?

a.       Over-promising and under-delivering – especially when combined with poor communication.

3.       Buzzword: What is the latest fad, gadget or trend that you’re enjoying?

a.       Given my previous career with SAB, perhaps it’s no surprise that I love the growth in craft brewing – South Africa is fast catching up with the rest of the world and we are already blessed with some incredibly skilled and inventive craft brewers.

C:

1.       Cafeteria: What is your favourite restaurant?

a.       Rejoice, in Bryanston, offers both the standard sushi options and some more unusual variants, and is both delicious and very affordable.

2.       Carbon Credit: Which environmentally friendly practices do you personally endorse?

a.       Waste recycling, energy efficient alternatives such as LED and solar, and use of webinar meeting technologies to limit unnecessary travel.

3.       Consumer Price Index: What luxury items are worth spending money on?

a.       I tend not to splurge on luxury items, though do make an exception for great family experiences on vacations.  Our most recent ‘luxury’ purchase is a Lego Mindstorms EV3, which we justified to ourselves on the basis that it allows my kids to learn valuable problem-solving and creative skills while having a ball.