Diversity is first and foremost the pre-eminent repository for SaaS analysis and commentary.

Ben Kepes

Ben is founding editor of Diversity. He lives in Waipara, North Canterbury on a 12 acre farmlet with his wife and two young sons. Ben is a commentator, consultant and analyst in the area of business in general and IT business in particular.

Disclosure statement – Updated April 19th, 2009: As a specialist on Cloud Computing and software as a service (SaaS), Ben is sometimes paid by companies for advice and speaking engagements. While these relationships could prove challenging when it comes to writing about those companies, Ben strives to retain his editorial independence at all times. Notwithstanding this independence, Ben considers transparency in these matters to be crucial. To this end here follows a full disclosure of Ben’s interests.

Ben is a Director of Diversity Limited, a business owned by the Kepes family that is a vehicle for investment and consultancy. Diversity has holdings in manufacturing, property and technology companies and undertakes advisory work. A full list of current and previous Diversity clients follows;

  • Telecom New Zealand – Diversity consulted to TNZ on SaaS strategies and tactics to engage small business
  • bizchat – Ben is co-founder of bizchat, a community site for small and medium businesses in New Zealand. bizchat is a not for profit but has obtained sponsorship from Telecom New Zealand
  • Learning Source – Ben has advised Learning Source on communication and go-to-market strategies. He continues to contribute to their press collateral
  • designindustry – Ben previously contracted to designindustry as a design strategist
  • Ben is co-editor of CloudAve – CloudAve is sponsored by Zoho and as part of this sponsorship Ben’s travel and accommodation expenses to a number of industry related events are covered by Zoho
  • LeftClick – Ben is on the advisory board of LeftClick, a specialists click conversion company
  • Cactus Climbing – Diversity is a shareholder in, and Ben is a Director of, Cactus Climbing a business manufacturing backpacks and outdoor clothing

Ben is also a freelance print journalist. His work has appeared in Unlimited, Idealog, Start-Up and Employment Today. On occasion these publications have contributed towards Ben’s travel and accommodation expenses to attend various events.

In his role as an industry commentator, Ben often receives free accounts with software vendors. This is standard in the industry and Ben does not consider that these various arrangements require disclosure.

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