much deliberation about Madiba’s request and after consultation with our fellow directors, we decided to donate R500 000 to the ANC, and to split the additional R500 000 among the other parties in the political mainstream. We saw it as a more equitable and less controversial allocation. The surprising outcome was that Madiba sent the cheque back to us. In his covering letter, he stated that he had asked for R1 million, and for good reasons. Our donation of half the amount was a clear sign to him that we did not fully support the merit of his request, hence his decision not to accept the contribution. This first-hand lesson about principled leadership arising from a high level of moral intelligence made an indelible impression on me. It was one of the many lessons I have learned from Madiba over the years. A last remark – he never referred to the returned cheque again and Toyota is still fortunate to have an excellent relationship with him, to this day. Quiet brothers, there goes a man. . .
Despite the fact that Bert was a mechanical engineer and I was a marketer, we got along exceptionally well. Not only did we respect each other as colleagues, but we also became very good friends. Bert was competent, straightforward and unpretentious. His enthusiasm for life was inspirational and his sense of humour contagious. I have a treasure chest full of anecdotes and memories from those years I had the privilege and pleasure to have worked with him. He played a positive role in my leadership and management development. For me, it remains a tragedy and a personal loss that he died so suddenly on 2 December 2002 at the relatively young age of 58. A reminder that fills me with sadness and gratitude are the phone calls that both Tillie and I received from him a few hours before his death to encourage us during the difficult RAG episode – this was many years after I left Toyota.
During the third quarter of 1994, I received a phone call from Terry Rosenberg, the chief executive of McCarthy Retail Ltd at the time. The executive chairman of their motor division, Theo Swart, was due to retire in February 1995, and Terry wanted to know if I would possibly be interested in the position. As I was already considering a possible career change, I responded positively. We met shortly thereafter in Durban, and it was followed by a dinner at the Linger Longer Restaurant in Sandton. On this occasion Terry did an excellent presentation on a mini flip chart. He was charming and convincing, with the result that I seriously considered the possibility of joining McCarthy. But I wanted to reflect thoroughly on this very important matter and asked Terry to give me until the end of December to decide.
The anguish that I went through during this decision-making process was intense. Toyota raised me in the business world, and gave me all the opportunities. Faith in the brand, products and culture was an integral part of my make-up, and the Toyota people were deep in my heart. My loyalty to the Wessels family and my management team was another major consideration. At the same time there was a strong yearning for both a new challenge and a more balanced life. The reality of my job at Toyota was that I worked very long hours, and often had to travel domestically and internationally. Due to the nature of my responsibilities, I also had to host numerous evening functions and attend dealer functions and motor sport events, which absorbed much of my weekend time. Because I had been with the group for so long, I had personal relationships with the majority of employees, suppliers, dealers, fleet customers and journalists. The inevitable result was that I became involved in an increasing number of issues. Eventually, this deluge of requests for my time and attention made me feel like a plane circling the Arctic, gathering progressively more snow on its wings. The only way to salvage the situation was to land in a spot of sunshine.
During our Christmas holidays that year at our holiday home on the Eastern Cape coast, I had a chance to thoroughly consider the pros and cons of a move to McCarthy. I was able to have long discussions with Tillie and our sons, Brand, Jan-Louis and Jaco, about it, and also to pray about it again. Their opinions about my possible career change were of great importance to me. Brand and Jan-Louis were both already at university and therefore no longer at home, but Jaco would have had to change schools, as McCarthy’s head office was based in Durban. On 28 December 1994 I got up at 4 a.m., settled myself on the patio and started writing “a case for change”, addressed to myself. When my family joined me after sunrise, the decision was taken that I would accept McCarthy’s offer.
Over the years, the question I was certainly asked the most, was: “Why did you leave Toyota for McCarthy?” My light-hearted standard reply was that, every day at Toyota’s head office, I walked past a red device on the wall with the words: “Fire Brand”. Afraid that they would actually do so, I took the proactive decision to resign!
The real reasons were of a more serious nature. At the very top of the list was my strong need for a better quality of life with Tillie and our family. My “workaholic” behaviour at Toyota had inevitably led to self-neglect, as well as neglect of the people closest to me. I was anxious to make a new beginning and to rediscover my family and joy of life in the process.
Secondly, my career at Toyota was stagnating. It was clear to me that I would stay in my current position for at least the next five years. Bert was just a year or two older than me and his family owned a controlling interest in Toyota SA. As head of the company, he was doing an excellent job. He was going nowhere, and rightly so! On the other hand, I was excited about the opportunity to join McCarthy. I had a keen interest in the retail side of the automotive business and looked forward to a stimulating learning experience. Since the McCarthy Group sold nearly 20% of all Toyotas, I knew the organisation and top management well, and respected them. It was the number one automotive retail group in the country, with a culture that was in line with my value system.
Finally, the McCarthy offer was very attractive from a financial point of view as well. My personal goal was to be financially independent before the age of 50, and the move to McCarthy would bring me much closer to that goal.
With my heart in my throat and close to tears, I informed Bert on 2 January 1995 that I had decided to leave Toyota and join McCarthy. Emotionally it was very difficult for me to say goodbye to a company and its people who had done so much for me and that had meant so much to me. From a rational point of view, however, I was convinced that the change would be the right thing for me and my family. Just as well that I did not know what was waiting for me on the McCarthy horizon . . .
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