Gideon Gartner visits KCG Connects in Orlando

The Knowledge Capital Group has announced that Gideon Gartner, the founder of Gartner, Soundview, and GIGA Information Group, will be a featured speaker at the KCG Connects event. This event, designed for people who want to learn about analyst relations, coincides with the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando in October.

Personally, I am pleased to see this. I am put off by the way KCG describes the Gartner company founding and early days in their analyst relations handbook. This event presents an opportunity to set the record straight(er) and more importantly, to spark compelling discussions about the industry analyst business.

IMHO, Gideon is well within his rights to say that he brought dramatic innovation to the analyst business in 1979 with the founding of Gartner, and again with the founding of GIGA. His recall is in marked contrast to the current Gartner corporate claim:

This year marks the 26th anniversary of Gartner and the founding of our industry. - Gartner, Inc. Investor Relations website

‘Founding of our industry’? First, you have to ask: Isn’t this the sort of self-serving historical revisionism Gartner is supposed to expose? Then you have to ask: Why does Gartner fail to recognize the importance of its one-time role as a disruptive innovator within this (pre-existing) industry? Gartner making this statement is akin to Google announcing that they founded the search market, or Twitter claiming the invention of IM.

Back on point: Last May, Gideon Gartner enthralled a few hundred analysts, consultants and others for an evening at the Computer History Museum. His business insights were inspirational to all types of high tech entrepreneurs at the event, in addition to those of us clustered in and around the IT industry research and advisory business. So, while you should not book this KCG event to try to get Gideon to invest in your company, you should find him an astute advisor and innovator thinker when it comes to business strategy — and the highlight of a full day of AR 101.

Do not assume that Mr. Gartner’s participation in the KCG event, means similar participation in the Gartner Symposium. Possible, but certainly not inevitable. Despite the example of statesmanship set by Jamie Lewis and Craig Burton at this year’s Catalyst, your best options for buttonholing Mr. Gartner may just be KCG Connects or the next TED.