Gartner Expert

Saul Brand

Sr Director Analyst

Saul Brand is an analyst on the Enterprise Architecture and Technology Innovation team. He leads research on starting and restarting EA practices and business architecture. He focuses on using business architecture to transform and optimize business and operating models. He is actively involved in developing research that bridges the gap between business strategy and IT execution.

Mr. brand is frequently called upon to advise clients on starting and restarting EA practices, using the business architecture discipline in support of business strategy planning and transformation, designing and implementing EA governance and assurance. Other topics Mr. Brand advises clients on include business and IT leadership concerning EA, design thinking, business ecosystems, technology innovation, cost management, resource allocation, people development, time, financial and risk management, and business and operating model design decisions. Typical industry discussions include financial services, oil and gas, retail, manufacturing, CPG and government. Past roles at Gartner included agenda manager of research and leading research communities. Mr. Brand was the lead analyst and author for the Magic Quadrant for EA consultancies and EA tools.

Previous experience

Mr. Brand has 15+ years of experience in the financial services, media, entertainment, consumer products, biotech, and telecom industries. The first part of his career was spent inside public, private and start-up companies.

Prior to joining Gartner, he worked at The Walt Disney Co. as a Business Technology Partner. Previously, Mr. Brand held various strategy, finance, business transformation and technology innovation positions where he initiated and led numerous technology-enabled business transformation programs and projects, including systems selection and implementation. He has held P&L and cost center manager control as part of his managerial experience. He has also held direct responsibility of up to 35 business and IT professionals. He has advised and supported organizations with upward of 100,000 employees.

Professional background

The Walt Disney Co.

Business Technology Partner

Various Finance and Business Transformation Roles

Various Financial Markets, Executive Finance and Business Transformation Roles

Areas of coverage

Enterprise Architecture and Technology Innovation Leaders

Enterprise Architecture

CIO Role Evolution

CIO Impact on Digital Business Strategy and Execution

Executive Leadership: Enterprise Strategic Planning and Execution

Education

A) Master of Science, Shipping, Trade and Finance, Cass Business School, City University, London, England

B) Postgraduate Diploma in Management, Business Administration, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

C) Bachelor of Arts with Honors, International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Top Issues That I Help Clients Address

1Starting, restarting and renewing EA practices

2Using business architecture to drive digital business transformation and investment decision making

3EA governance, assurance, standards and architectural review boards

4Architecting the composable enterprise using business architecture

5Help leadership teams take on board technology disruptions and digital business with EA