Ray Wang departing Forrester

When the CEO of a well known company leaves it's often big news. In my world, Ray Wang leaving Forrester is humungous. I heard about it on the web - where else?

He smiles a lot – every meeting with him leaves you energized though not sure if vendors he covers leave with the same feeling :)

And he is amazingly brave. He had no earthly reason to leave for Mumbai, India when the terrorist siege there last year was far from over. He did so because he had a presentation commitment he felt obligated to keep. Everyone I know calls him a “superstar” analyst – he was everywhere.

But there is much more. As I have been parsing the ongoing industry maintenance issues Ray has been an invaluable check and balance in unraveling the problems and challenges. You can't price what he's brought to the table.

And when I think about the power the large enterprise players wield, Ray's fearlessness is not only refreshing, it's inspiring. Seeing him at a vendor supported user conference explaining precisely how customers could extract value is a memory I'll cherish for a long time to come.

Above everything, Ray is an intensely human person. Generous with his time, gentle in his nature and witty in his turn of phrase - there is only one R 'Ray' Wang.