Liza Watson – Group financial manager, AEL South Africa Q: What does your role at AEL entail?
A: I am the Group Financial Manager and my primary role is to provide an effective finance function to the rest of the organisation.

Q: What do you love the most about your job?
A: All the work that I do is rewarding. Everyday has its unique challenges and presents new learning opportunities that make it enjoyable.

Q: How do you stay on top of your game?
A: I always strive to do my best and to deliver more than what is expected of me.

Q: How do you relax?
A: I go to gym a few times a week, spend time with friends and family and try to squeeze in some time to read.

Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Tenacious, calculated, committed

Linnea Cloete – Group Products to Market manager, AEL

Q: What does your role at AEL entail?
A: I provide strategic direction to and manage a team of people whose main role is to ensure that all new and modified products are thoroughly tested against market conditions.

Q: What do you love the most about your job?
A: The technical nature and the ability to apply my research and development experience to new products, as well as the opportunity to apply project management disciplines. Application of the NPI process to new and modified products ensures logical and methodical market introductions.

Q: How do you stay on top of your 'game'?
A: I like to keep up with changes in the factory and on the products so I try to do plenty of audits in the plants and visit the plants to understand how new equipment works. I also try to keep abreast of what is happening on a commercial level to ensure that my team's strategic objectives and deliverables are aligned with business requirements.

Q: What is the phrase you hear yourself saying the most at the office?
A: Apply the NPI process (new product introduction process)

Q:How do you relax?
A: Between work, two young kids and a husband, when does one get time to relax? If I get the Unearthed opportunity I enjoy my arts and crafts and reading.

Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Methodical, logical (mostly) and a stickler for the rules.

Ellen van Dongen – Group Environment manager, AEL

Q: What does your role at AEL entail?
A: I provide the strategic direction for environment for the group and manage the environmental management system and Responsible Care initiative to ensure that we achieve legal compliance and world class standards in our environmental performance.

Q: What do you love the most about your job?
A: The freedom of decision to guide AEL to be a world class environmental performing company while learning something new in a discipline that is growing rapidly and having the opportunity to make a difference.

Q: What is the phrase you hear yourself saying the most at the office?
A: There is nothing complicated about environmental management – it is common sense and should be part of your daily routine

Q: How do you relax?
A: Going to the gym, spending time with my family, gardening and hiking

Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: I am passionate about environment, positive and have high integrity