The latest Open Group member spotlight focuses on Vish Viswanathan, Managing Principal of C C & C Solutions.

Q: How long have you been involved with The Open Group?
I have just completed 10 years of involvement with The Open Group. Coincidentally, it all started in Austin in 2001, with the launch of C C AND C Solutions being the then-regional partner for The Open Group in Australia. When I attended the recent Austin conference in 2011, I completed a decade of a productive and enjoyable relationship.

Q: Why did you become a member, and what does your involvement look like?
I came across The Open Group in 2001 while attending a conference at IBM Sydney. What attracted me to The Open Group initially was how it offered a unique gateway to the rest of the world from Australia to a variety of thought leadership areas in IT. At every point in time over the last 10 years, I found the portfolio of projects and initiatives being addressed within The Open Group was a direct reflection of whatever were the latest and most important developments in the Industry at the time.

I have been involved in several Forums over the years, but The Open Group Architecture Forum has been my primary focus. We were the local partner/regional champion for The Open Group in the Australian region for more than five years and personally, I was the Vice Chair of The Architecture Forum for five years until 2006. I have participated in several projects of the Architecture Forum including pioneering the TOGAF® People and Tools Certifications efforts in 2004/5. Over the years, I have presented in several Open Group Conferences on a variety of topics, and exhibited our products and services in several of them. Above all, I have developed excellent personal relationships with The Open Group staff and members globally.

Q: How has membership in The Open Group benefited you, your organization and the industry at large?
Personally, it has helped me to broaden my industry knowledge, and provided me with opportunities to meet and develop relationships with international experts who are passionate about what they know and do. I can connect my customers in Australia with international experts overseas using The Open Group connections, anytime, anywhere. Everyone involved in The Open Group is so passionate about his or her field of expertise that they are always willing to talk and help.

My organization has gained global businesses from several Fortune 500 organizations as a result of our involvement in The Open Group, and I have been fortunate to be recognized personally for my EA efforts globally using The Open Group platform.

I see The Open Group as a unique organization firmly committed to business-focused IT, in a multi-vendor, multi-product world wherein a variety of options exist and the pressures to make the right choices and decisions can be extremely daunting for many IT users. Its contribution is very valuable, and in fact, crucial to the IT world, as it is getting more complex and business demands on IT are increasing all the time.

Q: What contributions to The Open Group is you most proud of?
I’m proud of making TOGAF® real and practical in the user world among various global organizations through innovative application of its theory of best practices — as well as training thousands of architecture practitioners all over the world in a multitude of industries in several global centers. In effect, I’m proud of being a frontline ambassador for Enterprise Architecture evolution powered by TOGAF®.

Q: Why is it important for other organizations to join The Open Group?
Here are the value propositions as I see it:
To IT users, being involved in The Open Group offers a unique opportunity to get all that is latest in one shot, as well as gain practical ideas and experiences from peers in the industry.

To product and solution vendors, involvement offers a fantastic opportunity to communicate and collaborate with users, other vendors, and the academic and research communities in an open and friendly environment

To small and medium entrepreneurs, like ourselves, it offers a world of opportunities, otherwise impossible to reach through any other channels; and it provides a level playing field for us searching for new business alongside global vendor giants.

Q: What are your hobbies?
I like playing tennis, table tennis, traveling and music including indulging in Karaoke — to the embarrassment of my family.

Q: What book are you currently reading?
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman.

Q: Any last thoughts?
I was fortunate to come across The Open Group and realize its immense potential in 2001. Ten years on, I’m still very enthusiastic about the opportunities that if offers for now and into the future.
With new areas of opportunities for IT-enabled business innovation opening up all the time, The Open Group is well positioned to contribute in multitude of ways through its ever-vibrant member community, which I am proud to be a part of.

About Vish Viswanathan

Vish Viswanathan is currently Managing Principal of CCAND C Solutions, an organization in Asia/Pacific specializing in practical implementations of Enterprise Architecture based on a best-of-breed approach involving TOGAF®, Zachman and other methodologies and tools. Recent assignments include Enterprise Architecture consultancy, specialized training and implementation assistance in the following sectors:

• University: Sydney and Monash Universities
• Government: Large Federal Government Departments such as Centrelink (Department of Social Security), Australian Taxation Office, Accident Compensation Corporation (New Zealand), Canberra local Government etc.
• Corporations: National Australia (Banking) TabCorp (Sydney Casino), Goodman Fielders (Food & Agriculture) etc.

Vish has had over 25 years of experience in IT & Telecommunications in technical, marketing and strategy positions as senior executive with IBM, Fujitsu and AAPT (Telecommunications) across Asia Pacific having been located in New Delhi, Bangalore, Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore. During his career, Vish has successfully managed several new technology startup initiatives in Australia, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. He is actively spearheading The Open Group activities through championing TOGAF® in Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN regions as the Regional Partner as well as in his capacity as the Vice Chair- Asia Pacific for The Open Group Architecture Forum.