Phil Fersht — CEO
Phil Fersht is widely recognized as the world's leading analyst focused on reinventing business operations to exploit AI innovations and the globalization of talent. He recently coined the term "Services-as-Software" to describe the future of professional services where people-based work is blurring with technology. Fersht identifies change agents enabling organizations to access critical data and exploit the huge base of global talent. He trademarked the term “Generative Enterprise™” in 2023, articulating the pursuit of AI technologies based on Language Models to reap huge business benefits for organizations seeing to continuously generating new ideas, redefine how work gets done, and disrupt business models steeped in decades of antiquated processes and technology. His reputation drove him to establish HFS Research in 2010, which today is one of the leading industry analyst and advisory firms and the undisputed leader in business and tech services and process technologies research. In 2012, he authored the first analyst report on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), introducing this topic to the industry. He is widely recognized as the pioneering analyst voice that created and inspired today's RPA and process AI industry. Fersht coined the term "OneOffice" in 2016, which describes HFS' vision for future business operations amidst the impact of cloud, automation, AI, and disruptive digital business models. OneOffice is the foundation of the hybrid (virtual-physical) workforce, where automation and AI tools augment the employee’s digital capabilities, and the workplace becomes a plug-and-play, work-from-anywhere scenario. Silos between front and back-office are collapsed into one single office, where employees are empowered and motivated by common outcomes and values. Prior to founding HFS in 2010, Phil has held various analyst roles for Gartner (AMR) and IDC and was BPO Marketplace leader for Deloitte Consulting across the United States. Over the past 20 years, Fersht has lived and worked in Europe, North-America, and Asia, where he has advised on hundreds of operations strategy, outsourcing, and global business services engagements. He is also the author of the most widely-read and acclaimed blog in the global services industry, entitled “Horses for Sources” now entering its 19th year. He is a regular speaker at major industry events, such as NASSCOM, ABSL, and HFS Research Summits. He has been named Analyst of the Year three times by the Institute of Industry Analyst Relations.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Professional Services and AI-driven Business Transformation.
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Experience: 30 yrs 4 mos
Skills
- Business Strategy
- Leadership
- Business Transformation
Career Highlights
- Pioneered the RPA and process AI industry.
- Established HFS Research as a leading advisory firm.
- Authored influential reports on business transformation.
Work Experience
HFS Research
Chief Executive Officer (16 yrs 4 mos)
Gartner
Research Head, IT and BPO Services Practice (2 yrs)
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Marketplace Leader, Business Process Outsourcing Advisory (1 yr)
Everest Group
Vice President, Everest Research Institute (2 yrs)
The Yankee Group
Vice President, Technology Research (2 yrs)
IDC
Director, IDC Europe, US & Asia (5 yrs)
Tate Bramald Consultancy
Consultant and analyst, Financial Software Solutions (2 yrs)
Education
Bachelor of Science - BSc at Coventry University
Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA at IUT2 Grenoble