Elsbeth grew up on a farm in the Eastern Cape, and was educated
by her mother in a rural school, later attending a boarding school
in Grahamstown. She studied for a BSc at Stellenbosch University
and subsequently completed her Masters degree and PhD at
Cambridge University, UK.
She returned to South Africa in 1989 and began work as an
applied mathematician at the CSIR in Pretoria. During her 12
years at CSIR she held many different roles, including that of
Special Assistant to the CSIR President and founding Director of
the CSIR Innovation, Leadership and Learning Academy. On leaving
CSIR she joined Adcorp in the private sector, and ran the
Technology Top 100 Awards Programme for several years. She
then became co-founder of the Da Vinci Institute, a
private university specialising in customised,
post-graduate management education. During this period she
obtained a Diploma in Executive and Life Coaching,
and facilitated programmes on personal development, as well
as heading up the post-graduate research of
Da Vinci. Elsbeth joined Common Purpose, an international
not-for-profit organisation specialising cross-sectoral leadership
and diversity programmes, in 2006, as CEO.
Elsbeth is married with 3 children. She loves to
live a full and busy life. She delights in her family
life and has pursued a part-time career for most of her
professional life in order to balance professional and family
activities. She holds and enjoys several community roles
beyond her professional work. She is an avid road runner and enjoys
sport in many forms. She is by nature a seeker and searcher and
holds at her centre a deep spirituality.
