Page 2 - STANDARD BANK KZN TOP BUSINESS AWARDS Supplement-Mercury - eBook 2021

FAMILY

BUSINESS

THANK YOU

KZN for your on going support and trusting
us since 1979

The Hirsch family – Margaret, Richard, Luci and Allan.

his category was operating in KwaZulu- Shop safely on SA’s most trusted ONLINE appliance and TV store - www.hirschs.co.za
open to businesses Natal for the last 42
Twhere the majority years and have become a
ownership remains household name. Hirsch’s
within a family (or multi- started off small in 1979
family) structure, and with just R900 saved appliance and home Margaret is the executive a strong commitment to the at Hirsch’s when they were
where more than one by Allan and Margaret. furnishing stores are director, Richard is the same goals. in their teens, still shop
generation contributes to Today they are the largest located in KwaZulu-Natal, with them – alongside
the success of the business. independently owned the Cape and Gauteng. CEO and Luci is the voice Hirsch’s are not simply a their own children and
electronics and appliance of Hirsch’s and the brand family owned business, grandchildren.
The winner is: retail outlet in southern The whole family is involved manager. As a family, the but they have watched The finalists are:
Hirsch’s form a formidable
HIRSCH’S Africa with a turnover in the day-to-day business the families that shop
well over the billion rand operations. Allan is the force supported by their with them grow. Today ■ The Ramsi Group
Hirsch’s have been mark. The chain of mega founder and chairman, management team who have Grandparents, who shopped ■ Beekman Group

BUSINESS PERSONALITY

shok Sewnarain determined to pursue one’s rather than a million rand.
is the founder dreams in whatever business The most successful people
Aand chairman of chosen. He says, “Business in the world dream big. It’s
International Bank Vaults is full of risk and challenges free. It has no boundaries
(IBV), the first and most that we must confront on and borders.”
sophisticated, privately a daily basis.” He added Sewnarain strives to create
owned safe deposit that over the years, he had a balance between good
vaults in South Africa. experienced many failures business and profit through
in his business career, but all
Sewnarain was born in of these had made him more providing community
Mayville, Durban and his knowledgeable and humbler. and social support. This
father ran a small, often balance is achieved by
struggling, estate agency. However, Sewnarain says, promoting a spirit of social
When Sewnarain took over “You must be bold and have entrepreneurship, which
the family business, he courage to launch business he believes is an important
expanded into the hotel and ventures with honesty and aspect that every business
hospitality sectors. respect for staff, customers, leader should adopt in
suppliers and service their own enterprises. He
In May 2005, Sewnarain providers. Life is about concluded, “The more that
opened the first private vault dreaming big. Dream to you give the more that
in Umhlanga’s Gateway make a million dollars, you get.” 
Mall. Since then, IBV has
grown exponentially and
operates branches globally
in London, Switzerland, and
Dubai.
The vaults are built to
international standards and
specifications, complete
with steel-reinforced
concrete and protected by
a sophisticated, multitiered
security system.
Sewnarain subscribes to the
philosophy that says one
should persevere and be
Ashok Sewnarain received the Business Personality of the Year award

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