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METAmorphosis SA to be opened by Fred Amoroso, CEO of META Group International

META Group CEO Fred Amoroso will open METAmorphosis South Africa in May on his first visit to the country. Amoroso has made positive changes to the company structure since his appointment. The increased interest in the META Group IT portfolio management philosophy has contributed to the increased numbers attending the METAmorphosis conference this year.

"With five weeks to go, the registrations for METAmorphosis 2003 are well ahead of last year`s levels. Of particular significance are the number of vendor delegates and delegates who have not attended METAmorphosis before. We believe this increase is a direct influence of the topics being discussed and the calibre of speakers attending the event this year," says Peter Riches, managing director of META Group South Africa.

META Group predictions on IT spend remain flat in 2003, leaving companies no room for error in terms of IT investments. As cost reduction pressures continue, many organisations are undertaking risky integration initiatives to achieve ROI. META Group believes that, if not executed with a portfolio management approach, integration efforts will prove costly. "Delivering the Integrated Portfolio: People, Process, Platforms and Performance" is the theme of this year`s METAmorphosis Conference, which will be held in Johannesburg from 27 to 29 May.

According to Amoroso, it has been a tough year for IT departments, the economy and analyst firms. It`s natural, as IT budgets get pressured or slashed, that spend on research gets slashed as well. "There are a number of different reasons that IT research has become commoditised. Many of the analyst firms still cling to a pure research-based model focusing on per-seat pricing and offering research in ever-thinner slices of technology. While we will continue to offer published research to our clients who need it, we will be more actively focused on helping end-users and IT vendors solve their business problems not just provide them with written research," he says.

"We are committed to selling our services on the value of the relationship with us, not just on publishing research. However, this doesn`t mean we are becoming a consulting firm. We are taking our core asset - the knowledge base built by our analyst community - and looking for new and innovative ways of making it available in other forms than just written research. We want to be part of our client`s marketing and strategy teams, not just traditional IT `analysts`."

METAmorphosis South Africa is the 14th annual gathering of leading CIO and IT executives who meet with META Group`s team of international and local analyst and consultants, discussing insights and best practices in IT management. This year`s primary focus is "Delivering an Integrated Portfolio".

Amoroso is looking forward to his visit in SA, as he anticipates IT professionals will have many innovative and creative ideas when it comes to IT, as traditionally they have been isolated from the IT world due to being geographically removed. During his visit he will meet with industry leaders to familiarise himself with the nuances of the South African market.

METAmorphosis 2003 Conference, Johannesburg, 27 to 29 May 2003. Delivering the Integrated Portfolio: People, Process, Platforms and Performance. META Group`s 14th annual forum, providing actionable research and real world methods to meet the challenges of business and IT change. Visit http://www.metagroupsa.co.za/ for a detailed agenda.

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META Group

META Group, Return On Intelligence. META Group is a leading provider of information technology research, advisory services, and strategic consulting. Delivering objective and actionable guidance, META Group`s experienced analysts and consultants are trusted advisors to IT and business executives around the world. Our unique collaborative models and dedicated customer service help clients be more efficient, effective, and timely in their use of IT to achieve their business goals.

Fred Amoroso, Vice Chairman, President and CEO, has more than 30 years of executive experience, including general management of the world`s leading software, hardware and professional services companies. Prior to becoming president and CEO of META Group in July 2002, he was head of CrossWorlds Software, a leading enterprise application integration software company, successfully completing the sale of the company to IBM in January 2002.

Previously, he was an executive with IBM, where he participated in the company`s turnaround, led one of its global industry solution units, and then served as general manager of IBM Global Services, Asia Pacific, nearly doubling IBM`s services business in the region during 1997-1999, with revenues of $6.99 billion in 1999. From 1985 to 1993, Amoroso was a managing partner with Price Waterhouse, initially in charge of its insurance consulting practice and then as a leading technology partner. Prior to that, he was founder and CEO of Computech Corporation, and also held various management roles for Electronic Data Systems. Amoroso has a BS degree in Systems Engineering and an MS degree in Operations Research from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.

Editorial contacts

Lara Nel
Livewired Communications
(011) 504 9850
lara@livewired.co.za