Stellenbosch local and PSG Capital CEO Johan Holzthausen was recently awarded the prestigious Ince Individual DealMaker of the Year award at the annual Ansarada DealMakers Awards.
The Ansarada DealMakers Awards could best be described as the “Oscars” for the South African corporate finance and investment banking industry.
“I feel elated,” Holzthausen said about his achievement adding. “This achievement is, however, the result of teamwork and on this occasion I was fortunate to get the credit. If you are nominated you always stand a chance. However, I thought my chances were slim given the quality of the other nominees.”
Asked what his recipe of success is he said it’s to remain consistently positive despite how bleak a situation might be. “Jannie Mouton used to say, ‘A negative person never starts or establishes anything positive.’ Our team lives by that slogan. Secondly, it is to surround myself with a dynamic team who shares my vision and my work ethic. The African proverb says ‘If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together’, which rings true here.
“And thirdly, patience. You need to be able to read the chess board and have a good understanding of all the role-players or stakeholders involved to be successful.”
Of his success rate as a dealmaker Holzthausen says dealmaking comprises of several components with multiple variables. “Many of these components are outside one’s control, so one could never have a 100% success rate. If I had to put a number to it, I would say about 80%.
“I owe my success to my supportive family and a team at work who consistently goes the extra mile.”
Holzthausen who, aside from making deals is an avid tennis player, enjoys making wine in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, outside Hermanus.
