Executive chairman: Xuma Infrastructure Group

Khethi Nkosi is a man who believes in the value of hard work. Born into a family of entrepreneurs, he started working in the family businesses at nine and by 24 had founded the Xuma Infrastructure Group, which has grown from its origins in laying fibreoptic cables into a broader construction company. Nkosi followed his studies in computer programming by working in the sales side of the IT industry with jobs at IBM, Business Connexion and Attachmate. Not a fan of the traditional BEE approach, he believes in building from the ground up. When he started Xuma in 2004 he had four employees. Today he employs over 3 000 people and has a JSE listing on the horizon. Although he has stepped aside as CEO in favour of an executive chairman role, Nkosi is still intimately involved in the company, and has more time to spend with his family and in the fields, growing his role as a part-time farmer.

— Ben Kelly

Website: xig.co.za