Alec Hogg is the CEO of Moneyweb
| Name | Alec Hogg, Moneyweb CEO | ||||
| Date of birth | 17/10/1959 | ||||
| Education | Newcastle Infant, Junior and High schools; One year towards a B Comm at Natal University (PMB); most learning has come from the university of life! | ||||
| Family | Married. Two daughters. | ||||
| First job | Worked for Standard Bank as a clerk for six months before National Service in exotic places like Kokstad and Estcourt (1977). First real job was as a trainee financial reporter at The Citizen (1980). | ||||
| Hobbies | Passionate about thoroughbreds; breed them, own them and race them. In another life would have loved to be a racing commentator (once applied for a job but didn't get it) or better yet, a trainer like Ormond Ferraris. Dream is to one day run a handful of mares on my own small stud farm. Outside of horses, am obsessed with history (Marcus Aurelius and Benjamin Franklin are my heroes), Which is not surprising as I grew up in the Battlefields of KZN and was introduced to the subject by an amazing teacher called Graeme Anderson; and am an enthusiastic golfer whose handicap ranges from 13 to 18 depending on the workload. And, being a Banana Boy, supporting the Natal Sharks! | ||||
| Favourite movie | Of the recent ones, thoroughly enjoyed In Bruges and Benjamin Button. A big fan of the TV series Boston Legal and House. | ||||
| Favourite book | Fooled by Randomness by the Brilliant financial activist and deep thinker Nassim Taleb. Probably because I had the honour of once spending a full day in a workshop given by him. | ||||
| What are you currently reading? | The last lecture by Randy Pausch, a US university professor who wrote the book while dying of pancreatic cancer. Am also trying valiantly to get into Evelyn Waugh's Sword of Honour. | ||||
| Best business book you've read? | Good to Great by Jim Collins which should be prescribed reading for any journalist writing about investment. Also loved by The Snowball by Alice Schroeder (the best biography I've read on my other hero, Warren Buffett). | ||||
| Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? | Still very much involved with Moneyweb (Continunuing to travel internationally so I am able to better understand the financial world, and, personally. Steadily building the stud farm dream. | ||||
| What advice would you give school leavers/graduates? | Hard wire into your DNA that there is no substitute for hard work and an open, inquiring mind. Never compromising on ethics. Never stop asking questions. And as a practical tip, invest at least as much time planning ahead of a meeting as you will spend attending it | ||||
| Do you have a role model - if so, who? | Warren Buffett for so many reasons but mainly because no matter how rich and famous he has become, he never wavers from a foundation of humility and common sense. When it comes to the media sector, the Late Katherine Graham was head and shoulders above the rest because of hunger to learn, an ability to overcome massive personal setbacks and her unbelievable commitment, courage and loyalty - the keys to running a great media company. | ||||
| Where is your favourite holiday spot? | It was always Zimbali with Fancourt a close second. But have recently discovered St Francis and must admit it's no longer easy to choose. But either way, it's in South Africa. | ||||
| Person you would most like to meet? | Of those who passed on, Marcus Aurelius or Benjamin Franklin, but if it were possible to bring anyone back for a while, they'd take a back seat to my son Travis. Of those alive,as I've already had the privilege of meeting Nelson Mandela and Warren Buffett, it would have to be the Google Guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. | ||||
| What car do you drive? | Bakkie"topless". | ||||
| What is the quality you like most about yourself? | God blessed me with an inquiring mind. | ||||
| Where would you like to live in retirement? | On that small stud farm, running eight or so high quality mares. Not sure if it would be in the KZN Midlands or near Franschoek in the Cape, but most definitely it will be in South Africa. Having travelled widely helps me appreciate what a special country we live in. | ||||
on 2010/02/23 13:41