I've been in the software industry since 1981, when I designed technical curricula for a turnkey accounting software vendor (ERP today). Back then "timesharing" was emerging as a dominant computing model - using "dumb" terminals, connected to mainframe computers via 300 baud "acoustic couplers".
Since those early days, I've had the privilege to observe, learn and contribute from different corners of the market: as a vendor, a user, an IT professional and as an industry analyst.
Over the past 27 years, I have become a well known and respected figure in the software industry, not only for my knowledge and skill - but for my leadership, integrity and ethics.
Among my many roles, I spent 13 years at Gartner, where I served as lead analyst for Business Intelligence. During my tenure I drove the definition and direction of the Business Intelligence research agenda, taking BI from an esoteric "backwater" to a mainstream and highly valued research area. I was twice selected as "analyst of the year" and inducted as a Gartner "cultural icon". I was named Distinguished Analyst in 2003 and Gartner Fellow in 2004. In addition to driving much of the research surrounding BI, I founded and chaired Gartner's European and North American Business Intelligence conferences. Both remain industry-defining events.
In 2005, I left Gartner and joined Hyperion Solutions as Chief Strategy Officer, successfully making the transition back to vendor life. As CSO I focused my efforts both internally and externally. I focused internally upon corporate strategy, product direction, and acquisitions. Externally, I drove our thought leadership initiatives and served as a "voice" of Hyperion for customers, analysts and the market at large. As a result, we succeeded in making Hyperion the uncontested leader in performance management solutions. Early in 2007 Hyperion was acquired by Oracle for a 30% premium. Although Oracle graciously offered me a role, I chose to form Dresner Advisory Services, LLC - becoming an independent industry resource and strategy advisor.