PROFILE: This is my story - Wade Leaf

Please give us a brief summary on your career to date 

I started working for Stevenson Construction in 1984 as a Trainee Construction supervisor. This was a Group Five company and I moved on to another G5 company when I joined Goldstein Coastal Civils in 1987 as a charge hand. 

I eventually grew with G5 to become a Contracts Manager after 16 years. I joined Stefanutti and Bressan in 2004 as a Director and was there for 10 years, through the listing on the JSE and the acquisitions. 

I worked for internationals in Tanzania for 2 years and then joined Aveng as a Strategy Executive before joined Fraser Alexander and working there for 5 years as the head of construction. Today I own and run Wade Leaf Project Consultants.

Give us details of a project that made an impact in your career.

At Group Five we were part of a team that built the Skorpion Zinc Mine in Namibia. Group Five was involved with the crushing and screening of the aggregate, the commercial management of the centralized batch plant and the execution of many structures including the mechanical delivery of the project. 

Group Five housing was also involved in delivering 500 houses at the end of the project. When we started the project in Rosh Pinah, in the middle of the desert, there were only 20 houses.

Location Map

What was your position and duties on this project?

My position was Site Agent and my duties included managing the centralized batch plant, and managing the Electro winning precast plant as well as the Acid plant.

Why does this this project stand out to you?

It was absolutely remote.

Aerial View Scorpion Zinc Plant Rosh Pinah Namibia.

What were the important lessons you learnt from this project?

Contractors like Group Five, WBHO, Murray and Roberts, Grinaker LTA and others all learned that we were all better served working together and with each other.

What were career regrets you experienced on this project?

I could have used this project and its many milestones to launch an international career, but I did not.

How did you overcome your regrets?

I eventually did end up doing lots of Business development work in Africa, Germany, USA, China and Australia for an International company.

Also read: THIS IS MY STORY - Pete Mullen

What has been the most satisfying thing for you personally about this project?

I remember being particularly proud of reaching the milestone of having batch 95,000 m3 of concrete in 15 months on the project.

This industry is said to be one of the toughest industries, how did you manage to stay in for so long?

I have always loved construction for its toughness and its ability to test me constantly. Today I can honestly say that I have a natural ability to initiate projects, manage and run projects and close out successfully with the best possible outcome. Today I advise of feasibility of projects, management structure of projects, methodology and scheduling of projects, financing of projects and the success or failure of such projects.

In your opinion what are the biggest challenges facing the industry currently and how can they be overcome?

The industry is being inundated today with a willing group of entrepreneurs who do not necessarily understand the skills required to be successful as a construction company. Construction strategy, Business review and such Project Consultants lend great value to assisting such companies to be successful. Winning a tender is NOT success.

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