Johan Laas, Rand Refinery’s CIO

“Today’s record is tomorrow’s target. If you can do it today, why can’t you do it tomorrow? But if you repeat the same thing, doing the same thing over and over again, you’re not going to improve. You need to do it differently. That’s what triggers my mind. And as soon as something becomes routine, I want to pass it on to somebody else. I need the challenge.”

Rand Refinery’s CIO Johan Laas is old-school in the most flattering definition. He started his career before ‘CIO’ was a known title, training as an engineer and scientist with an interest in metallurgy. But never content with the idea of being a researcher, he yearned for a career where knowledge turns into action. This need took him from his roots, growing up in a mining community, to overseeing technology decisions at the largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting complex.