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Len Rust
 "Call
him the conscience of the technology industry. Rust is
an enabler, a facilitator, an ideas man who brings
people, concepts and resources together, often without
any of the parties having realised what's gone on --
until much later. He's a thinker, and he's able to
articulate waves of change when they're the merest
ripples" The Bulletin, August 17, 2004
Len Rust is executive
director, Dialog Marketing Services a marketing
consultancy specialising in the information technology
industry.
Before he established
Dialog, Len spent 19 years with International Data
Corporation (IDC), which he joined in 1979 as Managing
Director. He was appointed Vice President, Asia/Pacific
region in 1983. Prior to joining IDC, Len held several
senior positions with major IT services companies in
Australia and New Zealand. His association with the
computer industry in Australia began in 1963 when he
played a major role in introducing the first commercial
computer timesharing service in Australia for General
Electric. Since then he has been involved in senior
roles in many areas of the industry including
engineering, operations, customer support, and
sales/marketing.
In the 1970s, Len was
Marketing Director for Computer Sciences of Australia
and Compunet – two of Australia’s pioneers in the
software and services industry. He began his career in
electronics and telecommunications with the Royal Navy
in the UK and later with New Zealand Posts and
Telegraphs.
Len is a frequent speaker
at major information processing industry conferences in
Australia, the United States, Japan, China and Hong
Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. His regional
responsibility for IDC made him a frequent traveller
throughout the Asia Pacific area, and during this time
he was involved in the opening of offices in Korea,
Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and
New Zealand.
Len has written and
presented numerous papers on information technology and
IS management, and has advised many clients on
competitive and technological issues, market place
perception, marketing strategies, strategic fit,
cost-to-use and mergers and acquisitions. He continues
to make waves in IT circles through his views in the
Rust Report.
These views are also
increasingly sought by government, business leaders and
IT vendors. A profile article in the Bulletin magazine
referred to him as the “Godfather of the Australian IT
industry”. Len’s understanding of past, present, and
future technology trends gives him a unique position as
an independent IT trend forecaster and commentator for
conferences, seminars, workshops and boardroom
briefings.
Len has been involved with
several associations related to the IT industry,
including the Australian Information Industry
Association, where he was a past board member and NSW
convenor; and the Australian Association of Chief
Information Officers (AACIO), where he was a past
president. |
