Manfred Gorvy, millionaire financier, fruit farmer and one of the wealthiest men in Britain, keeps close to his SA roots. He still owns the biggest citrus grower and processor in SA, though it is now only a part of his £600m Hanover Acceptances group. Also in his conglomerate is property group Dorrington Plc, with a £550m portfolio, and venture capital outfit Fresh Capital Group. All this puts Gorvy and family at number 288 on the UK Sunday Times' "Rich List 2007".
When the FM meets him in his cosy Knightsbridge offices, which are tucked next to Harrods in one of London's most expensive areas, Gorvy's childhood memories come back easily.
"We lived at 121 Oxford Street [in Johannesburg], but of course it has now been converted into offices - it was a different world back then. I have excellent memories of my childhood. Some of the friends I made in those days are still my friends today." Born in 1938 to a prosperous middle-class family, he attended Saxonwold Primary School and later Parktown Boys' High School, and went on to graduate with a commerce and accountancy degree from Wits in 1959. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1961.
"In those days, if the person you were articled to had also qualified in England, you could write your exams in SA and your finals in England, and qualify in both countries, which is what I did."
Back in SA, Gorvy started work for the giant Schlesinger Organisation, which had interests in most sectors of the economy, including property, insurance, banking and farming.
"I built the property division Sorec into the largest property company in SA," Gorvy says. "I became chief executive, and we were listed in SA and in the UK."
In 1973 Gorvy was asked by the Schlesingers to further develop the company's interests abroad, and after some debate, accepted the offer, moving Lydia and their four children to London with him. "My career was advanced before I left, so I didn't see the move as necessary to progress. And we had a wonderful home out near Kyalami, with beautiful grounds, and horses. All my children were born in the country. So it was a difficult decision."
One of his first moves was to buy a stake in Dorrington Plc and recruit two countrymen, Alan Leibowitz and Trevor Moross, as his management support in London. They have stayed with him ever since. But then, in 1974, the carpet was pulled out from under him. The Schlesingers sold out to Anglo American, keeping only their citrus farms and the UK operation.
Though Gorvy stayed on as CE of what remained, the Schlesingers had lost interest in the business. And he had a serious recession to deal with.
"It was extremely tough, but I was given the opportunity to sort out the problems they had left. I acquired the business units from the Schlesingers through management buyouts. And, since then, the business has just developed and developed."
Gorvy won't discuss his financial affairs, saying only that he never volunteers information on personal wealth or profile except what is necessary under UK company law.
But he is still a regular visitor to SA. "Each time I land in Johannesburg, which is every three months, I am gob-smacked by how much it has changed," he says. "The people at the airport, the people at the farm - there has been so much change since I was young.
"I have maintained all my links; I have still got family there, my wife has still got family there... My daughter even married a South African. We employ about 2 500 people on the estates: there is a tremendous emotional connection with SA for us."
He says he still reads Business Day every morning, as well as the weekly financial publications. All four of his children are married with children: Sean is part of the business in London; Bronwen is also in London; Brett is main board director of Christie's, based in New York; and Dylan is an equine surgeon in Sweden. If he could do it all over again, says Gorvy, he would make all the same decisions, "especially being married to Lydia for 46 years!"
When asked whether he is optimistic about the future of SA, he gives a strictly business answer. "We want to continue to own and invest in our SA operation. Either you let it go downhill or you invest in it: and we've just built a new pack-house, and invested in new plantings. We are proud of our business there."
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