Around Phil Hassey from capioIT in Eleven Questions

Phil Hassey at capioIT, www.capioIT.com is featured in our Around in 10 Questions series.  Phil recently established this  new industry analyst firm geared to enhance organisations strategies to capture and understand emerging technology in emerging markets. You can find Martin at  @PHassey.  Blog – http://capioit.wordpress.com/

1. What are your coverage areas?
   Emerging technology and delivery models in emerging markets. Technology focus is on the BI/Analytics and Data Centre markets, as well as  solution delivery models. Geography wise it is the  Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
2. What are your opinions of the IT Analysis Marketplace and where do you see it going?
   It is continually evolving and incumbents need to expect more pressure on their model. I have been very impressed watching the growth of the likes of Altimeter, Horses for Sources, RedMonk and others such as Longhaus locally in Australia. There is definitely demand for a better way of understanding the technology market, and helping both enterprises and vendors.
3. What’s your typical day like?
   I am working hard to actually get a typical day. At the moment each day is about balancing getting the message out that capioIT is here and ready to help enterprises, with developing our research agenda and content. In a few months it will change, but for now, it is all start up activity which is actually a lot of fun.
4. Now, c’mon, tell me an AR horror story?
   Sadly, it would have been the same over 10 years ago when I started out as an analyst.  The Head Office exec who comes down to the Asia Pacific region, usually to escape winter in the US, and then gives a completely US centric pitch failing to understand and respect Asia, and that things are different down here. Even the best AR manager  struggles with this one, the exec wants his warm weather, oops, business justification …..
5. How do you position your firm? What is your business model? (where are your revenues coming from, mix between users and vendors?)
   Collaboration is essential to what we are trying to achieve. End user revenue will come primarily from my active collaborations in the initial build out stage. However I anticipate this changing as we evolve, so I find the optimum mix.
6. What is your research methodology?
   Focus is on engagement and interviews actual decision makers, typically in a qualitative fashion. I am less interested in the views of 500 bored IT managers who will answer the phone but do not control enterprise expenditure.
7. Any favourite AR professional you’d like to mention? Any why?
   So many AR professionals in our region have to do more with less. Some lack local content, or have to regularly justify their presence at times. I think as an analyst industry in Asia Pacific, we need to support the local AR teams more. Perhaps we need an appreciate an AP AR Manager day.
8. Tell us about one good AR practice you’ve experienced or one good AR event you’ve atttended.
   I admire communicators like the AP AR team at Unisys, Verizon and other mid-sized (In relative AP terms) vendors. They do a great job with limited resources to sell AR internally as well as engage with analyst firms. It proves you do not need to be IBM, Microsoft or HP to have a relevant AR program in the AP region.
9. What are your offerings and key deliverables?
   The key focus from a research point of view will be on emerging technology such as BI/Analytics and Data Centres in the emerging markets. I have had some very positive feedback as to how my delivery of this research is innovative and how the access model will work. This will be in parallel with  consulting and other  engagement models.
10. What is your biggest challenges for the upcoming 6 months? And for the next 30 mn?
    The next 30 minutes is easy. Finish these questions and then guesstimate the right proportion of lime and chilli for my lime and chilli stir fry that I will soon cook. I usually don’t follow recipes.  The next 6 months are going to be even more fun. I am keen to build on the great initial response for capioIT, and  drive momentum for the business.
11. Is there another analyst (a peer in your firm or with another firm) whose work  you rate highly?
    Close to home, James Turner from IBRS in Australia comes to mind. He has done a great job supporting the security challenges for enterprises in Australia. In the US, Fred McClimans is someone I admire. He has been around our industry for a long time, he continues to contribute through #ARChat and other innovations.