Travis Robson

If someone came to you tomorrow with R100m to invest in just one company, which would it be?

I would hope the individual had a long time horizon and already had a diversified portfolio elsewhere before putting R100m into one company. I would say Steinhoff. It’s been a good investment for me. The group has grown from a furniture manufacturer in low-cost Eastern European countries to one of the leading furniture retailers and has a strong leadership team as well as a strong product value chain.

Which talent would you most like to

have?

I would like to be able to read people’s minds.

What was your first job?

Working as an assistance store manager for a clothing retailer

What’s your biggest regret?

Not starting to invest earlier.

What was your worst investment

mistake? Listening to a fellow trader and selling EOH, as I had done really well on my investment.

What’s the best investment you’ve ever made?

In 2009 I invested in EOH at around R5.

Apple or Samsung (or Nokia)?

Neither, but I prefer Android to Apple. have an LG phone.

If you found a lottery ticket tomorrow that had won US$100M, what would you do?

Track down the person who owned the ticket and ask for a finder’s fee. If that failed, I’d donate to the charities that I support and then take a sabbatical around the world, investing time in myself to broaden my experiences and knowledge.

What’s your favourite song?

I am very seasonal with music, so my favourite song changes often. However, any Greenday or Foo Fighters song.

What is your greatest

extravagance? I My mountain biking and cycling hobby.

Name a place you’ve been to that lived up to the hype.

In 2006 I went to Iceland, it has some of the most spectacular natural wonders on the planet. The Aurora Borealis is an incredible light show and there are a lot of geysers and underground springs. Icelanders are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Nudity is a very normal thing in Iceland, Icelanders are very open to bathing naked in hot springs (never a bad thing).

On what occasions do you lie?

When I am trying to persuade my daughter that she does not need that toy or clothing item.

If you could fix one thing in SA today, what would it be?

I would put a stop to corruption and put that money towards improving the standard and accessibility of public education. Giving the youth access to quality education and training will help build SA.