People | University of Canberra Students

Shivani Sehgal

Honours student

Shivani Sehgal, CA is an Honours student at the University of Canberra’s Faculty of Business, Government and Law. With a background as a professional Chartered Accountant and currently managing full-time study alongside her role as a Finance Business Partner, she brings a sharp commercial lens to her thesis, which explores how AI-driven marketing affects consumer behaviour in the hospitality industry. Her research uses real-world data from a local business to investigate whether AI-led campaigns lead to higher spending and greater customer retention across different segments, compared to traditional digital strategies.

“I’ve always been curious about what actually drives people to act, and how businesses can connect with customers in a way that’s not just effective, but also ethical,” Shivani says. Her work sits at the intersection of marketing, finance, and tech, with a strong focus on practical impact.

She believes AI is not on the horizon, it is already woven into how decisions are made. “If we want to shape and govern how AI evolves in business, we need to understand it now and be willing to pioneer. You can’t lead something you don’t fully understand.”

Outside her thesis, she’s passionate about translating complexity into strategy and thrives on projects that blur the line between analytical and creative thinking. She’s also a strong advocate for research that speaks to both industry and academia.