The latest WITSReview features two very different contributions from Flow Communications staff.
Flow’s Durban editor, Christine Marot, wrote an in-depth profile about 1982 Wit University graduate, Ivan Glasenberg, who is the CEO of Switzerland-based Glencore, one of the world’s largest commodities, energy and mineral traders. He became the wealthiest South African in May 2011, when his company listed on both the Hong Kong and London stock markets.
Christine says this particular interview was quite a challenge since Ivan is known to be media shy. “However his press agent in Switzerland proved to be most helpful when it came to filling in the blanks and relaying a few challenging questions. It was just a pity that we missed out on a rare opportunity to interview Ivan in the flesh when he was here in July, but I’m hoping to interview him face to face during his next visit to South Africa,” she says.
Sub-editor Linda Piegl wrote a tongue-in-cheek piece called Shakespeare goes to Pot for the At Wits End column about William Shakespeare, after new evidence came to light that his inspiration for his great works could have come from a little more than his imagination. Pipes containing traces of cannabis were recently dug up around his house in Stratford-Upon-Avon, implying that the Bard used to enjoy the odd joint!
Linda says that having majored in English and studied several works of Shakespeare, she was delighted to be tasked with writing about the Bard and his interesting (alleged) hobby. She got carried away researching his themes and curiously undocumented life – very little is know about him other than some stuffy church records.
WITSReview was also subbed by Flow in a team effort by CEO Tara Turkington and sub-editor Linda, with additional assistance from Christine and the writing studio manager, Colin Ford, a task that requires attention to detail and consistency.
WITSReview aims at keeping Wits alumni up to date and in touch with each other and the university. Flow’s association with this well known quarterly publication dates back to 2006.