“Disruptions are inevitable. The question isn’t if they’ll happen but how we’ll respond when they do.” This guiding philosophy sums up Professor Marius Pretorius’ approach to business strategy in distress. 

An Emeritus Professor at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Business Management, Prof Pretorius specialises in helping businesses anticipate and adapt to crises, turning potential failures into opportunities for growth.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, he has emerged as a leading authority in the fields of strategy, business turnarounds and business rescue. His work, which is informed by a combination of entrepreneurial experience and academic rigour, has made him one of South Africa’s leading experts in business rescue. His contributions in this field of study have also earned him a National Research Fund (NRF) rating.

Prof Pretorius’ academic path started in agriculture where he earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in the field before transitioning into business studies. He completed a Master of Business Leadership at the University of South Africa (Unisa) and after completion of a DTech in business administration degree from the Tshwane University of Technology (his employer at the time), he joined the University of Pretoria in 2000. 

Since then, Prof Pretorius has steadily advanced through the ranks, earning accolades for his teaching and research, and carving a niche in business rescue – a field uniquely shaped by South African legislation.

“I’ve experienced business failure firsthand, and those lessons shaped my research interests and teaching approach. It’s not about whether distress will happen, it’s about anticipating and preparing for it,” he says. 

Business rescue, which is anchored on South African law, is the cornerstone of Prof Pretorius’ work. He is one of the few academics who focus on the business side of this specialised field, as opposed to its legal or financial aspects. His research has garnered over 2,200 citations and has significantly influenced both academia and industry practices.

Prof Pretorius describes his current focus as helping organisations prepare for the inevitable. “I’m now going into businesses and saying, ‘Let’s project what failure might come in the future and prepare for it.’ It’s about identifying potential future disruptions and setting up plans to act in the right direction when challenges arise.”

His approach includes innovative teaching methods that encourage critical thinking. For instance, instead of grappling with AI-generated content for assignment submissions and for studying, Prof Pretorius challenges students to evaluate AI-generated content and identify gaps and shortfalls. This, he says, fosters a deeper understanding of emerging technologies’ strengths and limitations among the students while teaching them critical thinking skills.
 
“Knowledge is easily accessible online. Our role as educators is now to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” he explains. This forward-thinking approach, he says, equips students with the skills to navigate the complexities of modern business environments.

Beyond his research, Prof Pretorius is passionate about mentoring the next generation of academics and leaders. He emphasises the importance of self-awareness in learning, a lesson he is intentional about instilling in his students. 

“The most important wisdom I try to impart is knowing what you don’t know. That awareness is the starting point for meaningful learning and effective problem-solving.”