Yasheen Nunkumar believes he has one of the best jobs in the world. As Head of Strategy for Prowalco, service provider to the South African fuel distribution industry, his job gives him carte blanche to add value across all three of the company’s dynamic business units.

“The position is broad in both its portfolio and scope, and my role is to look for the best opportunities for each of the divisions to grow and excel,” he says. In a sector that’s on the cusp of almost constant change, it’s an interesting – and challenging – place to be. But then Nunkumar thrives on challenge because it provides the opportunity to learn.

“As a service provider to the rapidly-evolving fuel industry, we need to make sure that we can match our business evolution to the radical change our clients are undergoing. And that means I constantly have to be looking to a future that’s both new and innovative,” he explains.

As a strategist, it’s not surprising that Nunkumar’s career has been defined by his drive to ‘follow the knowledge’. Humble beginnings prevented him from being able to pursue a university degree after school, but he gained experience in the construction, IT and security industries while finding his niche. “I took whatever opportunities came my way. My goal was always to do the best job I could possibly do, no matter what position or industry I found myself in. I wanted to leave no

an indelible mark, to make a difference,” he explains.

It turned out to be a winning strategy – the mark he made did not go unnoticed. In Prowalco he was promoted from logistics manager to divisional executive of the division, before taking up the reins as Head of Strategy for all three of the company’s business units. “I became known for being something of a turnaround agent,” he says.

While his career path might not have been neatly mapped out at the outset, Nunkumar nevertheless realised that everything he did went towards building a personal brand. It was this, together with a natural hunger for learning, that provided the initial impetus for studying an MBA.

Like many MBA students, he juggled impossible hours with business and family commitments in order to carve out time to study. “Most importantly though, it honed his strategic skills. “It really taught me how to think, which is one of the most profound learnings a person can gain,” says the graduate from Milpark Business School.

Looking to the future he already has the next knowledge horizon in his sights – a Doctorate in Business Administration in his sights. “I never chase the career – I’ve always chased the knowledge,” he concludes.