 |
 |
|
|
|
- Where did you grow up?
- Born in Old Windsor, UK, but my family moved frequently when I was small. I regard my hometown as Bakewell, in the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire UK.
- Where do you live?
- A village in the Chiltern Hills, north west of London in the UK
- Married?
- Married to Elena, who works as a care worker
- Children - genders and ages:
- Son - Robert, age 10
- Daughter - Ambra age 8
- Pets?
- Two Guinea Pigs, whose names seem subject to change on a month by month basis.
- What do you like most about your work?
- I get to do what I enjoy best - translating the technical into real world language. The technology I specialize in is mainly in the hands of people trying to do things, so the impact is often visible and quantifiable. I also get to learn every day, both from my colleagues and from our clients.
- What are you most proud of professionally?
- Difficult. At a personal level, my contribution to Gartner's thought leadership on virtualization technology. At a more general level, I have been fortunate to have worked as a mentor with a number of Gartner associates who will be our stars in the future. My small contribution to their growth gives me tremendous satisfaction.
- When you were six years old, what did you want to grow up to be?
- Bigger. When I was 14, I wanted to be a lawyer, but then I realized how much I liked mathematics
- How did you become an IT analyst?
- One day, I got a phone call. Initially, I thought it was a wrong number. It sounded interesting, so I followed up†.
- How has IT personally changed your life?
- In most every aspect. As an individual, I now order, store and access vast libraries of material, from data and information through music and media - it fuels and satisfies my appetite to learn. As a worker, it has taken me on a journey that has led to new countries, cultures and languages plus a wealth of experience I would never have dreamed of just 20 years ago. I also communicate with my dispersed family through a variety of means, both synchronous and asynchronous, depending on where I and they are in the world. IT has made a step function change to my life experience - for the better.
- If you could not be an analyst, what would be your second career choice?
- House Builder.
- How do you spend your time when you're not working?
- Home renovations and repairs, swimming, reading.
- Favorite vacation spot?
- Italy
- Ideal way to spend a free Sunday afternoon?
- Visiting the Natural History or Science Museums in London with my children.
- Do you play a musical instrument?
- No, but I wish I did. I'm good with a mixer though and did much part time work in recording studios when younger. I also once managed an Italian rock band†.
- What musicians' work do you collect?
- Too many to list. I am primarily a fan of what now seems to be termed "alternative" music. Favorites come and go, but some bands and artists have stood the test of time: these include Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads and Garbage. I have hundreds of vinyl LPs, 100s of CDs and now make a strong revenue contribution to download providers! I am firmly against music piracy.
- How do you choose the books you read for pleasure?
- By reading the first page in the book store. My tastes change, but slowly - over the last 5 years I mainly read crime novels; more recently, I have read novels based in the classical civilizations: Rome and Ancient Greece.
- Favorite Book/Author?
- Impossible to name a book my favorite is usually the one I'm reading now. Favorite authors are currently Ian Rankin and Valerio Massimo Manfredi.
- Favorite Movie?
- I'm not a big movie fan. The movies I would be most likely to sit down and watch again would be The Godfather, JFK and Vanilla Skies.
- Is there a TV show you never miss?
- No, but I am currently a fan of CSI†.it will pass, just as Star Trek did.
- Favorite Websites?
- BBC.co.uk is my first port of call. eBay, yahoo, Google get lots of visits too.
- Most prized personal possession?
- None. I'm attached to my notebook and to my iPod, but it's the content I'm interested in. The hardest possession to lose would be my passport, for practical reasons.
- Is this the best time in your life?
- Yes, but tomorrow will be even better.
- Do you have a philosophy by which you live, something that guides you in tough times?
- It's going to get better.
- Where do you want to be, what do you want to be doing, in 10 years?
- Alive, happy and making a contribution.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Topics He Covers Include:
|
 |
Client computing architectures and technologies |
|
Platform virtualization |
|
PC industry market strategies |
Recent Correct Predictions:
In 2004, he predicted that Microsoft would bundle PC virtualization capabilities with enterprise subscription agreements on Windows by 2007. In November 2006, Microsoft made the product use rights needed for virtualization one of the main features of Vista Enterprise (subscription required).
 Read more |
|
In 2004 he predicted consolidation in the PC industry. Within weeks, IBM sold its PC business.
Read more |
|
In 2005 he predicted the shift in ownership of notebook PCs from enterprises to users. Survey feedback from Gartner's Fall Symposium in the US and Europe show that over 10% of companies are already doing this.
Read more |
|
|
|
 |
Brian has over 20 years experience in the IT industry, mainly within the areas of client and personal computing. Despite lacking any formal education in computer-related disciplines, I spent my career pre-Gartner working on the periphery of computer research and development. The consistent theme of my working life has been translation between the technical and "real" worlds: turning the abstract concepts of computers into details and facts that have meaning to people and process.
From 1990 to 1994, I worked in the now defunct Olivetti, reverse-engineering PC, server and semiconductor designs to produce programming guides for designers and programmers. Between 1995 and 1998 I helped Hewlett-Packard outsource its PC documentation: taking on-site personnel offsite and shifting the buy side relationship from time-based to project based. I ran the outsourced supplier as a profitable, stand alone unit for three years.
I joined Gartner in 2000, to lead research into the European PC market. However, I forgot to read the "market focus" part of the script and found myself writing to and advising our user clients on client computing technology issues! In 2003 I assumed the coordination role for Gartner's client computing research, with responsibility for quality, consistency and coverage.
Since 2004, I have led Gartner's research efforts into the impact of virtualization technology on client computing. The potential to decouple the software environment we work in from the hardware on which it runs has many real life usage and business implications. These include the ability to delineate IT responsibilities from those of the user and so live more easily with the tide of consumerization. The technology also provides a foundational element for supporting the shift in PC ownership from the enterprise to the employee. These two topics have figured heavily in my engagement with user clients since late 2004.
My work on virtualization technology has also seen me engaged with the leading PC industry players regarding future development of the PC platform. I believe that, through our work on hypervisors, Gartner has contributed to defining the PC standard for the next decade.
I have advised very many large commercial and government organizations at both national and supra-national level on a wide range of client computing issues. I am frequently quoted in leading media and news publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune and a multitude of leading national dailies. I have also been a guest technology columnist for "Il Sole 24 Ore", Italy's leading financial paper and have made numerous television appearances to comment on technology developments and industry events.
I have been a keynote speaker at a number of external events run by the likes of HP, Microsoft and Intel, as well as presenting at many other conferences and meetings. I have also been a keynote speaker at Gartner Symposium.
Education:
|
|
B.A., Mathematics, Jesus College Cambridge |
|
|
|
|
