AIIR Welcomes Dr. Nicky Terblanche as AI Scholar in Residence

AIIR Consulting, a leading provider of coaching and leadership development, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicky Terblanche as its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scholar in Residence.

Dr. Terblanche joins AIIR at a pivotal moment. As described in AIIR’s whitepaper, “Becoming an AI-Enabled Leader,” AI is fundamentally reshaping the business world, presenting leaders and their organizations with unprecedented opportunities — enhancing decision-making, streamlining processes, and spurring innovation. At the same time, AI is fundamentally reshaping what it means to lead, requiring leaders to develop new skills and mindsets. 

A pioneer at the intersection of artificial intelligence and leadership, Dr. Terblanche will help shape AIIR’s approach to artificial intelligence. He will guide research, provide thought leadership and build on the company’s already robust AI Leadership development offerings, ensuring leaders are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in an AI-driven world. 

“AI is rapidly shaping the future of work, and leadership is no exception. To seize on this opportunity, leaders need to be AI-ready,” said Dr. Jonathan Kirschner, Founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting. “By bringing Nicky on board, we are ensuring that our clients remain ahead of the curve, leveraging AI to enhance leadership effectiveness and business performance.”

A professor at the Stellenbosch Business School, researcher, executive coach, and entrepreneur, Dr. Terblanche is the leading expert in the use of artificial intelligence in coaching and leadership development.

In 2020, he developed a groundbreaking framework for AI-driven coaching that was proven to increase the effectiveness of an executive coaching engagement by more than 30%. In 2022, AIIR partnered with Dr. Terblanche to bring this framework to the market with the launch of Aiiron, its AI coaching assistant. Now, Dr. Terblanche will continue this pioneering work, guiding the integration of AI into AIIR’s coaching and leadership development services and solutions. 

“I am excited to join AIIR Consulting at this critical moment,” said Dr. Terblanche. “AI has immense potential to augment coaching and leadership development to deliver incredible results. I look forward to collaborating with AIIR’s exceptional team to advance the field and help leaders achieve meaningful growth.”