IT’s sharpshooter hits the target by securing a nomination for the awards.
Dolf Smook, the head of technology solutions at Empact Group, has had a fascinating life and career. He has not been afraid to explore what the world has to offer, having had a stint in international banking with Lloyds TSB and Deutsche Bank in the UK, and entering the restaurant business as a Rhapsody’s franchise owner.
His knowledge around finance is supported by a bachelor’s degree with honours in finance and financial management services from the University of Pretoria.
Today, Dolf works in IT after developing a keen interest in technology. After all, his main goal was to automate or digitise as many of the Empact’s manual processes as possible when he joined the company, and achieved that.
According to Dolf, part of what makes the world of technology and IT exciting is that his job is no longer about living in the past, but rather about living in the future.
Dolf describes himself as an adrenaline junkie who enjoys rock climbing and skydiving in addition to his main hobby of shooting.
“I shoot six different disciplines, from pistol, 3-gun, and shotgun, to medium-range, long-range, and extreme long-range,” he says. “The adrenaline rush you get shooting from a kilometre away at a 30cm gong while the wind is blowing at 20km/h is unrivalled. However, you are holding a powerful weapon that, if used incorrectly, can have disastrous consequences, so safety is of the utmost importance.”
