John Gole is IDC’s research director for telecommunications, the internet of things (IoT), and mobility in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He manages research and consulting teams, advising telcos and IT players on their market opportunities and their product and corporate strategies. Past projects include strategies for success in IoT, market-entry strategies, market segmentation, ICT development strategies for governments, and critical information infrastructure protection policies for governments and private organizations.

John is a frequent speaker at industry events on telecommunications, wholesale services, enterprise mobility, digital transformation, and IoT. He also teaches marketing courses at the University of New York, Prague, and mentors startups in Prague’s startup scene. John Gole has MBA degrees from London Business School and Columbia Business School. He also holds an MA from Georgetown University's Graduate School of Foreign Service.