S2 Intelligence's McCabe joins KPMG

KPMG today announced that it had hired Bruce McCabe, founder of technology research firm S2 Intelligence, as a director of its IT advisory practice.

Bruce McCabe
(Credit: S2 Intelligence)

"Personally it's about scaling up," McCabe told ZDNet.com.au this afternoon. He wanted to be somewhere where he could really make a difference: "It's a much bigger platform. It's backed up by a huge advisory capability... It has enormous power relative to what I was doing."

According to McCabe, the financial crisis had nothing to do with the move. He said he'd been looking for the right partner to "take it to a new level" for some time. KPMG fit the part. He liked the people, its client list and its integrity. The firm had also acceded to letting him push his own agenda, mixing science with business.

McCabe said he will continue to do "over the horizon work", advising executives what they could expect in the future. S2 Intelligence would remain in operation, selling its reports, but since the consulting was based around McCabe personally, that aspect would cease.

McCabe said he didn't intend to stop his public commentary, saying he intended to still speak out on important issues.

KPMG was pleased with the acquisition. "His relationships and research will provide commercial insights to forward thinking clients interested in using emerging technology to enhance their business and gain a competitive edge," Ian Hancock, partner in charge of KPMG's IT advisory practice, said in a statement.

McCabe has advised 90 of Australia's top 100 corporations and state and federal governments. He started his career in marketing and management roles with IBM and Novell before moving into research with IDC and Gartner. He started S2 Intelligence in 2002.