Forrester Research

Analyst's Photo	Name and Title	Contact information
	Thomas Mendel, Ph.D. Vice President, Research Director

Research Coverage

Business Service Management, CMDB, Corporate Strategy, Data Center Management, IT Infrastructure & Operations, IT Management Software, IT Process Automation, Media & Entertainment, Mobile Services, Product & Solutions Strategies, Product Portfolio Strategies, Sales, Marketing, & Product Strategy, Service-Level Agreements, Sourcing & Procurement, Sourcing Strategy & Execution, Strategy Execution & Measurement, Strategy Frameworks & Models, Systems Management, Telecommunications Services

Research Focus

Thomas is a research director leading a team that advises TI Vendor Strategy professionals. Thomas' team predicts and quantifies disruptions in the technology industry that affect strategists and their firm's success. His team focuses on structural shifts within the tech industry, key supply-driven emerging technologies, and identifying opportunities in vertical markets to ensure long-term market success for technology vendors. The team's current research agenda is centered around the emergence of key technologies such as cloud computing; the increasing embodiment of IT within business processes; and major shifts of consolidation leading to the development of more integrated solutions combining hardware, software, and services.

Thomas is an internationally recognized authority on IT management software. His current research focuses on infrastructure services and outsourcing, and specifically the key portfolio building blocks required for infrastructure-as-a-service. He also maintains research interests in the areas of IT financial management, converging IT and telecommunication technologies and markets, as well as IT to business alignment.

Previous Work Experience

Thomas came to Forrester through its acquisition of Giga Information Group, which he joined in 2001. Most recently, Thomas was vice president of the Solution Center Global Network and program director of global information technology infrastructure for Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. He was responsible for the management of the Heidelberg Global Network and the design and rollout of all global infrastructure projects — for example, the implementation of the Heidelberg intranet in more than 60 countries.

Prior to joining Heidelberg, Thomas was an IT manager at ABB Kraftwerke AG and a senior consultant for corporate staff technology at ABB Deutschland AG, both in Mannheim, Germany. At the latter company, he was also responsible for the development and implementation of strategic concepts for IT and customer relationship management (CRM).

He is in great demand as a conference speaker, both in Europe and North America. Thomas' work has enjoyed wide exposure in the media. He does consulting work with major end user organizations and vendors in many countries.

Education

A native of Germany, Thomas is a graduate of business studies at Mannheim University and holds a Ph.D. in computer networks from the University of Wales in Swansea.