Associate ProfessorElsamari Botha

Associate Professor

Management, Marketing and Tourism

  • Associate Professor
    Management, Marketing and Tourism

BIO

Elsamari Botha is an Associate Professor at the University of Canterbury, where she previously served as Director of the MBA and Executive Education Programmes. Her research and practice focus on AI governance, implementation, and responsible digital transformation, bridging technical systems with organisational strategy and human-centric change.

 

She has co-authored several studies on AI adoption, including the AI Implementation Compass for managing socio-technical change in AI implementations, the CARE Framework for human-centric governance of generative AI, and the GenAI Prompt Protocol for human–AI knowledge co-construction. Her earlier work on the AI-enabled Retail Value Chain mapped one of the first conceptual frameworks for AI integration across value-chain activities.

 

Beyond academia, Elsamari is a recognised voice in AI strategy and governance, is frequently invited to speak with boards and senior leaders on the responsible adoption of AI, and has been recognised by LinkedIn as a Top Voice in both Higher Education and Consulting. With a PhD in Industrial Economics and Management from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm), Elsamari combines 15 years of consulting experience with academic leadership.

TE WHARE WĀNANGA O WAITAHA - UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY APPOINTMENTS

  • Associate Professor
    University of Canterbury, Management, Marketing and Tourism, UC Business School11 May 2020 - present

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • MBA Director
    University of Canterbury, Business School, Christchurch, New Zealand8 Feb 2022 - present
  • Extraordinary Associate Professor
    University of Stellenbosch, Business School, Cape Town, South Africa1 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2023
  • Head of Academics and Academic Development
    Educate24, Cape Town, South Africa1 Sep 2016 - 13 Jan 2020

DEGREES

  • PhD, Industrial Economics and Management
    KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden1 Sep 2020 - 1 Sep 2014
  • MCom
    University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa31 Jan 2006 - 15 Dec 2008
  • BCom (Hons)
    University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa7 Feb 2005 - 28 Feb 2006
  • BCom (Marketing and Communication Management)
    University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa4 Feb 2002 - 15 Dec 2004

LANGUAGES

  • English
    Can read, write, speak, understand and peer review
  • Afrikaans
    Can read, write, speak, understand and peer review

FACULTY

  • UC Business School

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

  • 17 Partnerships for the Goals
  • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

FIELDS OF RESEARCH