Timeline of Major Company Events:
- 1991 - Establishment of the National Institute for Management Technology
- 1998 - Acquisition of National Institute for Management Technology by Gartner
- 2004 - Technology Optimization Consultants Limited formed
The history of Optimize dates back to 1991 with the establishment of the National Institute for Management Technology, an R&D centre established under the Irish Government’s Programme in Advanced Technology. The objective of the NIMT was to research and develop IT solutions focused on management and decision-makers. The NIMT was acquired by Gartner Inc. in 1998 and became part of their general consulting services, with NIMT staff becoming Gartner employees. Although part of Gartner’s EMEA consulting organization, the ex-NIMT staff operated in practice as a distinct unit with an emphasis on overseas markets such as the UK, Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe and South Africa.
During late 2003 Gartner changed its strategy for consulting operations and decided to subcontract consulting services to partners in what it saw as non-core geographies. Thus in early 2004 Technology Optimization Consultants Group (Optimize) was formed, and from then delivered all of Gartner Consulting’s services in the Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe.
In April 2008 Gartner made a strategic decision to focus on core markets and to no longer offer consulting business in many parts of the world. After this, Optimize continued to operate in the Middle East region under the Optimize name as well as focusing on Ireland. Optimize continues to support Gartner in Western Europe.