CEO spotlight - 10 Questions for Wayne Klahs

CEO Spotlight:  10 questions for Wayne Klahs, CEO Chevron South Africa

Accelerate Cape Town is launching a series of interviews with the city's business leaders on why they chose to live and work in Cape Town, their long term vision for the city and what they love about the city...

In this edition we posed the following 10 questions to Wayne Klahs, CEO of Chevron South Africa.

1. Tell us about your company and your role?

Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies with subsidiaries that conduct business across the energy spectrum. We explore for, produce and transport crude oil and natural gas; refine, market and distribute transportation fuels and other energy products; manufacture and sell petrochemical products; generate power and produce geothermal energy; provide energy efficiency solutions; and develop and commercialize the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Our offices in Cape Town are the regional headquarters for our downstream operations (the part of the business that refines markets and distributes fuels and other energy products) in Africa and Pakistan. Regionally, Chevron markets under both the Caltex and Texaco brands, and I serve in the dual capacity of Vice President of our Regional Marketing Organization which covers Africa, Europe and Pakistan, and also as the CEO of Chevron South Africa.

2. What is the best thing about running a business in Cape Town?

The best thing about running our business in Cape Town is that I get to be part of the combined human energy that focuses on finding the right solutions to meet the needs of the market each and every day. The positive approach, the "can do" attitude that our employees take to meet our energy challenges is fairly contagious. It's quite something to see!

3. What areas do you think need to be improved to enhance the business environment in Cape Town?

While Cape Town is a fantastic place to do business, there still remains a great opportunity for more coordination between the federal and provincial branches of government. There is also room for a more strategic approach to building and enhancing the infrastructure, which is a critical base of support for the growing economy of South Africa.

4. How would you describe Cape Town’s business community?

I see Cape Town's business community as an integral part of the wider society whose needs are both complex and varied. The business community here is faced with the same mandate as in other parts of the world, and that is to ensure that it provides goods and services to its customers in a socially responsible and ethical manner, while benefiting its communities. That's Chevron's mandate, and I'm sure that the business community of Cape Town is equally committed to this approach.

5. Accelerate Cape Town as you are aware is committed to developing a long-term vision and future strategy for the region, what is your “vision 2030” for the city region?

My vision for Cape Town is to see it become a more welcoming business environment, one that provides the resources and skills that will allow business to flourish; a business community that is completely aligned and communicating effectively with multiple stakeholders to promote and encourage stronger competition - to the ultimate benefit of consumers.

6. How long have you been in Cape Town for?
I have been in my current role and residing in Cape Town since 1 January 2007

7. What is your favourite place to visit in Cape Town?
Table Mountain and Stellenbosch are two beautiful places that I love to visit, and I also make it a point to take guests there when they visit the country.

8. What would an ideal Saturday afternoon in the city be for you?

An ideal Saturday for me starts with my morning coffee at one of Cape Town's cafes, then an early afternoon jog along the Sea Point shore, followed by some time spent reading and finally capped with dinner with my wife and friends at one of Cape Town's many great restaurants.

9. If you could come up with a tag line for Cape Town (as a business city) what would it be?

"Cape Town, the City of Endless Opportunities".

10. Who do you most admire in the business world?

Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group, for his commercial savvy, creativity, innovation and risk taking. In his autobiography, I found Branson's motivation for starting an airline quite intriguing: "My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them…From the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it." I admire him for living this philosophy!