Diesel fuel price growth outpaces crude oil price growth due to refining problems

Mark Pillay, CEO of Konica Minolta South Africa, admits that his work mode is in a 'always on' state, and it is difficult for him to maintain a healthy work-life balance. He notes that even while traveling, he uses his laptop to remain accessible and monitor progress, not for micromanagement.

For him, the concept of balance does not mean completely disconnecting from communication, but rather the ability to stay connected when an immediate response is required. Technology has made it easier for him to maintain constant contact, allowing him to work while his family sleeps or take calls outside the office.

Not Quite Me

However, Pillay has learned the lesson that not everyone works the same way he does. He was told: 'Don't expect people to be like you,' and he realized that one cannot expect others to share the same mindset, work ethic, or approach to tasks.

While some people are content with turning off work email on Friday and only checking it on Monday, Pillay does not belong to them. If a client or dealer contacts him on the weekend, he may not respond immediately, but he guarantees that he will get back to the matter.

The main takeaway for him is understanding the differences between people, and this does not make one approach right and another wrong. It is necessary to understand how people operate, what drives them, and what can reasonably be expected from them.

The Important Ten Percent

Pillay is not a big fan of fiction, but one book by former General Electric executive Jack Welch, 'From the Gut,' left a deep impression on him. He applies Welch's 70/20/10 principle to the company's employee approach.

According to him, 70% of employees perform their duties and achieve expected results. The next 20% he calls 'driftwood,' who need to be addressed because decreased productivity and negativity can negatively affect the business. The remaining 10% are people the company cannot afford to lose. They must be retained, provided with job satisfaction, a sense of belonging to the business, and recognition.

Despite the influence of Welch's book, Pillay believes that the idea that someone else's formula can simply be transplanted into your company is one of the most overrated business ideas. He emphasizes that to manage a business, one must 'put on other people's shoes' to truly understand how it functions.

For Pillay, leaders must know their business, people, market, and industry well, using external advice only if it is helpful. One cannot simply read a book and apply all its provisions as if they were written specifically for your business.

A Decision Made by Reason

Pillay is also not inclined to revise a decision after making it. Instead, he prepares thoroughly for the choice, considering possible consequences and outcomes before making a final decision.

He clarifies that this does not mean ignoring evidence when circumstances change, but he is convinced that the quality of the decision depends on the thought invested in it before taking the step. It is not always easy when the most serious business problems are beyond his control.

International events and uncertainty about how and when they will affect the business take up a lot of attention. The company also faces port delays, leading to late inventory arrivals and customer orders not always being fulfilled within the scheduled month. In such conditions, it is necessary to focus on controllable things and do everything possible to handle the situation successfully.

Fast Cars and Godchildren

Pillay also shares aspects of his personality that many colleagues might not notice. He says that he is a fairly ordinary and relaxed person, who enjoys motorsport, fast cars, and football.

Furthermore, there are more children in his circle than one might expect. He has two of his own children and nine godchildren, some of whom now live around the world. Since he was a parent figure to some of these children before they had their own, he has ended up with many children worldwide—some are currently in Japan and South Africa, and his daughter lives abroad.

This has earned him the unofficial title of 'favorite uncle,' which he likes. There is also travel and business he could build if this imaginary trust fund became a reality. Pillay describes life as a blank book, the pages of which are filled with places seen and people met. Therefore, if he had been born into a wealthy family with a large trust fund, he would probably just travel the world. But since that did not happen, he would likely be running his own venture, drawn by the flexibility and control over how he spends his time. So, for now, he gets his travels, and the laptop goes along with them.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a three-day high-level meeting on Friday. The leaders visited the White House, where they shared tea, and subsequently toured the National Archives. During this meeting, some agreement was reached between the leaders of the two largest global economies on trade issues; however, significant disagreements remain on topics such as Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI), Iran, and trade in general.

Following the negotiations, Trump stated that the dialogue's outcomes would please American farmers, although he did not provide detailed information. He emphasized that 'America is very pleased with this trip, and I am confident that China is also very pleased.' In turn, Xi Jinping characterized the relationship between the US and China as a move toward 'strategic stability' based on mutual respect, impartiality, and participation.

One of the key outcomes of the talks was the extension of the trade truce for another two months. This agreement concerned a system set to expire on November 10th. Extending this period provided both sides with additional time to discuss a comprehensive trade deal.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reported that detailed information regarding the limited trade agreements reached would be published on Monday. According to Greer, the countries also agreed to exclude a number of important goods from trade disputes. These goods include agricultural products and medical devices from America destined for China, as well as consumer and non-sensitive goods from China.

Trump asserted that progress had been made within the bilateral trade framework to increase access to the Chinese market for American farmers and ranchers. Both leaders also identified artificial intelligence as an area for further discussion.

Trump announced on social media that he plans to meet with Xi Jinping two more times this year. The parties will meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in China in November, and also during the G20 summit in Miami in December.

After tea in the White House Red Room, Trump and Jinping visited the National Archives, where they reviewed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights of America. Trump mentioned discussing the issue of Iran with Jinping. According to the American ambassador to China, David Perdyu, Trump told the Chinese president that support for Iran, whether direct or indirect, is unacceptable to America. Previously, China had rejected American accusations of aiding Iran.

The issue of Taiwan also occupied a significant place during the negotiations. China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory. Xi Jinping expressed hope that the US would 'approach' the Taiwan issue cautiously and maintain its stance against Taiwanese independence. Although America does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it is its main international supporter. Following Jinping's visit, Trump made no detailed public statements regarding Taiwan. Despite this, disagreements between the two countries persist on issues such as technology, rare earth metals, agricultural trade, Iran, and Taiwan.

Renault plans to introduce its new powerful SUV to the Indian market before the Diwali holidays. Although the company previously confirmed the release of this model in early 2026, details have now become more specific.

The Renault Duster Hybrid is expected to launch on October 17. Earlier this year, Renault released the Duster with 1.0-liter and 1.3-liter turbocharged petrol engines. The version with the hybrid powertrain was announced earlier and is about to hit the market.

In a teaser post, Renault posted the phrase: 'Dear diesel, thank you for the ride, we'll take it from here.' This statement emphasizes the company's transition from diesel engines, which contributed to the initial success of the Renault Duster in the Indian market, to new technologies.

When Renault Duster returns in 2026, there will be no diesel engines in its lineup; instead, the company has focused on a hybrid system. The Duster Hybrid will be equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that will work together with two electric motors and a multi-mode automatic transmission.

This system will provide 160 hp and 172 Nm of torque and will include a 1.4 kWh battery. Renault has already confirmed this system for India. The company claims that in urban conditions, the car can operate on 80% of the battery charge, although some changes may occur depending on traffic, battery charge level, and driving style.

Since this is a hybrid powertrain setup, no additional charging will be required; the system itself will manage the operation of the petrol and electric modes. Thanks to regenerative braking, energy will be recovered when the vehicle slows down. Information on range and fuel efficiency will be available after the car's launch.

The company presents this car as a replacement for diesel variants, targeting consumers looking for vehicles with better fuel economy. While competitors to this car include the Hyundai Creta and Tata Sierra, the direct competition for the hybrid version is the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Victoris, and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The success of the Renault Duster Hybrid will largely depend on its price.

At the beginning of the year, the Renault Duster returned to the market, and initial sales were high, but they have started to decline over time. In March, 1402 Dusters were sold, and in April, sales reached 2359 units, after which a decline began. In May, 1267 units were sold, in June—1011 units, in July—512 units, and in August—402 units. The current price of the Duster starts from 10.49 lakh rupees and reaches 18.69 lakh rupees including all charges.