Rust is an enabler, a facilitator, an ideas man who brings people, concepts and resources together, often without any of the parties having realised what’s gone on — until much later. He’s a thinker, and he’s able to articulate waves of change when they’re the merest ripples - The Bulletin, August 17, 2004
Len Rust is executive director, Dialog Marketing Services a marketing consultancy specialis
ing in the information technology industry. Before he established Dialog, Len spent 19 years with International Data Corporation (IDC), which he joined in 1979 as Managing Director. He was appointed Vice President, Asia/Pacific region in 1983. Prior to joining IDC, Len held several senior positions with major IT services companies in Australia and New Zealand. His association with the computer industry in Australia began in 1963 when he played a major role in introducing the first commercial computer timesharing service in Australia for General Electric. Since then he has been involved in senior roles in many areas of the industry including engineering, operations, customer support, and sales/marketing. In the 1970s, Len was Marketing Director for Computer Sciences of Australia and Compunet – two of Australia’s pioneers in the software and services industry. He began his career in electronics and telecommunications with the Royal Navy in the UK and later with New Zealand Posts and Telegraphs. Len is a frequent speaker at major information processing industry conferences in Australia, the United States, Japan, China and Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. His regional responsibility for IDC made him a frequent traveller throughout the Asia Pacific area, and during this time he was involved in the opening of offices in Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. Len has written and presented numerous papers on information technology and IS management, and has advised many clients on competitive and technological issues, market place perception, marketing strategies, strategic fit, cost-to-use and mergers and acquisitions. He continues to make waves in IT circles through his views in the Rust Report. These views are also increasingly sought by government, business leaders and IT vendors. A profile article in the Bulletin magazine referred to him as the “Godfather of the Australian IT industry”. Len’s understanding of past, present, and future technology trends gives him a unique position as an independent IT trend forecaster and commentator for conferences, seminars, workshops and boardroom briefings. Len has been involved with several associations related to the IT industry, including the Australian Information Industry Association, where he was a past board member and NSW convenor; and the Australian Association of Chief Information Officers (AACIO), where he was a past president.
