Jamie Popkin, Gartner Research
Reuben Steiger, Millions of Us
Don Tapscott, New Paradigm
Zhang Xia, Neusoft
As CEO of SpikeSource, Kim Polese is responsible for guiding the company’s business vision: enabling businesses to harness the power of open source as a flexible, reliable, and cost-effective solution for business-critical needs. Prior to SpikeSource, Kim cofounded Marimba in 1996, and as President and CEO she led the company to profitability and a successful public offering. She then served as Chairman until Marimba’s acquisition by BMC Software in April 2004. Before cofounding Marimba, Kim worked at Sun Microsystems and was the original product manager for Java, which launched in March 1995. Prior to Java, Kim worked in Sun's software division on object-oriented development environments, and before that she worked at Intellicorp, Inc., helping Fortune 500 firms implement expert systems.
Kim serves on the board of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a coalition of executives working to improve the economy, health, and quality of life for all citizens of the region through advocacy on major public policy issues. Kim also serves on the board of the Global Security Institute and the University of California President's Board on Science and Innovation. She is a Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Engineered Innovation.
Jamie is a Group Vice President and Research Fellow for Gartner Research, and is responsible for the Business Intelligence and Information Management research group. Prior to this position, Jamie was responsible for Gartner research content strategy in China, India, and Korea. Jamie also served as international team leader for China and India. In that role, he was Gartner’s senior executive responsible for business and client relationships in those countries. Jamie currently serves as senior advisor to the China Business Continuity Management Association. Jamie has broad experience in public speaking and his presentations have been featured at technology forums and conferences in Seoul, Japan, China, and Korea.
In his previous position, Jamie served for two and a half years as worldwide Head of Research for Vertical Industries and Gartner Asia/Pacific & Japan. In his 13-year career with Gartner, Jamie has held a variety of management and analyst positions including Global Head of Vendor Relations and Chairman of U.S. Symposia. As an analyst, Jamie specialized in integrated document management, document imaging, information retrieval, output technologies, and workflow software applications. Prior to joining Gartner, he was with the Deloitte & Touche LLP Information Technology practice, managing a variety of technology strategy and development engagements. Previously, Jamie served as a member of the Association for Image and Information Management (AIIM) International Board of Directors.
The Asia/Pacific and Japan region is the most dynamic place in the world right now for the information and communication technology industries. Incredible innovation and fast-paced economic growth characterize the region, which represents 40 percent of the world's population. Every day as an analyst is a new adventure.
Reuben Steiger is CEO of Millions of Us, a company dedicated to helping businesses understand and harness the power of virtual worlds.
Prior to founding Millions of Us, Reuben was the evangelist for Linden Lab, creators of the 3-D virtual world Second Life. In that role he was responsible for business development efforts and bringing the first wave of corporations and commercial developers into Second Life.
Until 2002, he was Chief Development Officer at OVEN Digital, where he helped build that company into the world's largest privately owned Internet consultancy with 11 offices and 350 employees worldwide.
Don is CEO of New Paradigm and an Adjunct Professor of Management at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
He is an internationally renowned authority on the strategic value and impact of information technology. He consistently predicts the next business imperatives and defines the business models and strategies that the new imperatives require. He has authored or coauthored 11 widely read books on technology and business, and his most recent book was named one of the 2006 best books on innovation by BusinessWeek.
Don’s book Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything explains how businesses can tap the full potential of the emerging networked economy and its self-organized, mass-participatory communities. Wikinomics is based on the largest investigation ever conducted of strategic IT in business, a project titled Information Technology and Competitive Advantage.
Dr. Zhang Xia is Chief Technology Officer and Chief Knowledge Officer at Neusoft. She is responsible for the company’s technology development and knowledge management.
Xia’s experience covers her long-term dedication to the research and development of software systems and products. Under her leadership, OpenBASE (Database Management System), the Web-based distributed software supporting platform and integrated framework, Mobile Internet Solution, Embedded Middleware, Knowledge Management, and Human Resource Management Solution were developed. She initiated the Technology Community of Excellence (TCOE) program to realize and improve the Neusoft Solution Architecture (NeuSA) in 2004.
Since joining Neusoft in 1993, Xia has held several positions, including Director of the Database System Department, and Director of the Software Product Division, Neu-Alpine Software Co., Ltd.; Director of Software R&D Center, Neusoft Group; President of the Neusoft Middleware Technologies Company; and VP and CKO of Neusoft Group. She is also a professor at Northeastern University.
