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Former McCarthy big boss Brand Pretorius talks to BRUCE FRASER about 38 years in the motor industry

He has spent a lifetime in the motor industry but it took recently-retired McCarthy Holdings chief executive Brand Pretorius all of 63 years before he purchased his first car.

And his choices aptly reflect the man he is.

Dependable yet tough, the Toyota Landcruiser he drives at weekends shows his continued loyalty to a company he worked for 22 years, and which today he often uses to transport his wife, Tillie, and seven grandchildren to their holiday home in Bigha in the Eastern Cape.

His second choice is more that of a man who has had a deep love of sports cars since he was a young boy growing up in the Free State ... a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S.

"I've always been fortunate to have had company cars, so buying these vehicles was a new experience for me," he says of the recent purchases.

Pretorius is in the early days of retirement after 38 years in the motor industry, but to arrive at this stage of his life has been a long, winding road - and one that has not been without challenges that would have floored better men.

Petrol in veins

During his formative years Pretorius was taught at various schools in the Free State because his late father, also Brand, was often relocated due to his profession as a teacher, school principal and eventually, as an inspector.

It was during those early days that petrol started to flow through his veins.

"I've been a car fanatic all my life. My eldest brother, Hennie, is also a car enthusiast and I can remember the feel of the metal and the interior of my father's car when I washed it at the age of seven or eight."

After matriculating at Kroon High School in Kroonstad, he was off to Free State University where he studied for a B.Com degree.

By then Pretorius had already made up his mind that his career would be in the motor industry and he did his thesis for his Masters degree on the retail motor industry.

With his university days over and degrees achieved, he sent part of his thesis to Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford hoping to secure a job.

Economic slump

Toyota was first to respond - and it was with the Japanese giant that he spend a large chunk of his life in various capacities.

Their gain was Volkswagen and Ford's loss Pretorius went on to build a career that would garner him award after award in the motoring industry. Searching for new challenges, he joined the McCarthy group in 1995. It turned out to be a move that would be as rewarding as it was traumatic.

"I joined as chief executive of the motor group, but McCarthy was then known as McCarthy Retail Limited.

"In 1992, it had decided to diversify and merged with a company called Prefcor - a company that had diverse interests in mass retailing with the bulk of their trading in the lower income market where they sold furniture and clothing on credit," he explains.

A slump in the economy in 1996 spelt doom for the group.

"Our non-motor industry ran into a lot of trouble. At the end of 1999, McCarthy was declared technically insolvent and we eventually had bad debt totalling R1.3-billion."

With the jobs of 15000 people on the line and banks closing in, something had to give - and in October 1999 the group chief executive left and Pretorius was approached to take over as chief executive of the holding company.

"I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking of those times. We were insolvent, owed eight banks more than a billion rand and had severe cash-flow problems."

The restructuring process went on for three years during which time shareholders had to be pacified, workers reassured and banks kept from knocking the door down to demand repayments.

Pretorius admits it was the biggest challenge he faced in his career. He put a team together and as a group they worked night and day, seven days a week in a bid to save the group, and more importantly, so many people's livelihoods.

"It was very intense. The first obstacle was to convince the banks to come in and convert the debt to equity. We then had to close the non-core parts of the group.

"It was a multi-faceted challenge but we succeeded in turning the group around and repaid all our debt in a three-year period."

The period was not without the loss of jobs.

"It was inevitable and we lost about 2500 jobs. It was a very humbling experience - and through the grace of God we succeeded. I learnt a lot. How to keep hope alive when your back is against the wall. When people join hands, miracles happen."

Restored to financial independence, McCarthy Holdings was bought by BidVest in 2004 and despite the financial meltdown of 2008, remains a profitable company.

Looking back on his lifetime in the motor industry, Pretorius doesn't regret a moment.

"It's such a fascinating and dynamic industry. It is highly competitive and I was blessed to be part of it."

When he joined in 1973, there were only seven manufacturers, 12 brands and fewer than 200 different models available.

Fast-forward to 2011, and it's a completely different landscape - more than 60 brands and more than 2000 different model derivatives. A far cry from those early days.

"In 1973, we didn't export a single vehicle. This year we will export about 300000 world-class vehicles. The industry has become a respected global citizen. It's a great achievement all of us as South Africans can be proud of."

Just because he is retired, does not mean Pretorius is relaxing in a rocking chair.

He is as active as ever.

"I sit on five different boards, so I'm learning about those businesses. I'm expanding my horizons and meeting new people while at the same time teaching at business schools and universities.

"In this country there is so much to be done. It is about accepting co-responsibility for a better South Africa."

The mentoring of young people is one aspect of his retirement that he thoroughly enjoys. "It's very rewarding. I'm learning more than what they are learning. It is just so refreshing to get to the point where there is common ground and a vision that I can connect with.

"I can use my many years of experience. I've learnt from my many mistakes and it's a privilege to share that and get in touch with young people's ambitions, enthusiasm, passion and drive."

But away from the corporate world and that of formal education institutions, he enjoys reading, listening to music and, when time permits, popping off to Loftus Versfeld to catch the odd rugby game when his Bulls and Springbok son Jaco is part of the action.