Page 7 - KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK 2019

Entrepreneur qualified in various professions including dentistry,
medicine, law and accounting.”
ASHEED AMOD is a serial entrepreneur The next stage of his journey saw him opening his
who has accomplished much success in his own Cut, Make and Trim (CMT) enterprise. Here he
very varied business journey. His business supplied knitwear to chain stores such as Woolworths
Rinterests have ranged from running a and Edcon.
traditional convenience store, to building brands and
to large scale construction projects. When political changes made for a volatile market-
place, Amod sold his business to join Pierre Cardin as
Amod explains that he was driven to achieve by his the group financial manager. Amod says, “I became
father who was his role model in life and who had the first non-white director to hold the keys for the
died while he was still at school. building.”
“My dad was my hero; in his day he was in the top While working for Pierre Cardin, Amod travelled
100 Indian businessmen in South Africa. Although I extensively and made contact with many international
came from a wealthy background, I wanted to achieve business role players. This interaction resulted in him
business success for myself. My dad had inspired entering the construction business through a joint
me to take on challenges and to be independent,” venture at a later stage in his life.
explains Amod.
A further career opening allowed him to join one of
Consequently, Amod has always had a vision in the five largest advertising and marketing companies
mind and has been single minded in his approach. in the world, where he acquired much experience
“I am firm in my decision making and I have a strong in brand building for companies such as BMW,
business mind.” Continental Tyres, Steers and Audi. He retired from
there as financial director in the African Chapter.
From an early age, Amod earned money pushing
wheelbarrows at the Etna Lane market in Durban, As a sub-contractor he was responsible for the
earning 50 cents on a Friday afternoon and 60 cents piling at all except two stadiums built in South Africa
on Saturdays. This money he said, took him a long for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This resulted in his
way. participation in other major contracts, including the
Sasol gas pipeline form Durban to Germiston, the
After Amod completed his schooling he studied Gautrain tunnel between Rosebank and Sandton and
accounting. His first job was as a bookkeeper for an international project in Ghana. He worked closely
Peerless Cycles in Durban. He moved to a different with companies such as Murray & Roberts, WBHO
firm when offered a better salary. From there Amod and Group Five.
saw an opportunity to further his career in a hardware
and supply chain selling lighting and cables (Natal Amod believes that he has been provided with
Cables, Malbak and Durity Alpha). Within six months many good opportunities, which have allowed him
he was appointed manager of the group, which to succeed. He says that now that his children are all
afforded him much business acumen. educated and independent, he does not need to work
as hard and is semi-retired.
With this experience Amod ventured out on his
own and opened a convenience supermarket in However, Amod takes great pride in managing his
Dalton Road, Durban. He says. “I worked long hours; son’s Fareed 24 hour dentistry practice. He also spends
opening the shop at 4.30 am in the morning and time in community upliftment projects from which he
closing at 7.30 pm. During that time, I got married, derives much satisfaction. He explains, “I work where
which was very tough on my wife, who has always I see that I can add value and am respected.”
been my pillar of strength. However, we were blessed When possible, he enjoys playing squash with his
to have five children who are all academics and have wife, which he says keeps them both fit.

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