Thomas Otter gets tremendous joy out of finding stuff out. And he is not particular about what he is learning, as long as he is learning. This WBS alumnus is a world-renowned expert in the field of human resources and the impact of information technology on the industry. He is based in Germany, where he is research vice president at Gartner Research, responsible for covering human capital management trends and technologies, including core human resources, payroll, talent management and workforce analytics.

“Essentially, my job is to learn and discover new things and then pass that information on to people who need it to make decisions within their organisations. What could be more fun?” he says after an entertaining talk recently at WBS, as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. “My job is very affirmative. I have people calling me everyday and asking for advice, and I impart the knowledge I am always learning about. I guess I am somewhat of an IT psychologist in the HR world.”

His love of learning comes from his parents. “My dad was always studying, and he imparted that to me because I am always studying. I am in the process of doing my PhD and I always say I will finish it in November, but it is uncertain which November!” To challenge himself continuously is second nature to this father of three. “I think I will always keep learning, trying something new. In my view, an undergraduate degree is only there to give you an education, not a job. Admittedly, it is a luxury that not everyone has, but one should study what one’s passion is, before you go and find a job and enter the real world.”

It was this attitude and his attempts to stay out of the army that led Otter to WBS in the early 90s, following the completion of a BA Honours degree in politics from the then-University of Natal. “At the time, I saw the PDM as a mechanism to move into industrial relations but, of course, it led me to human relations and to technology and software and a combination of the fields. I arrived with a loner mentality but left enriched and ready for where I was heading.

“I have no desire to manage large numbers of people. I want to learn and then help people with that information. When I was doing my PDM, the job I am doing now did not exist. The pace at which IT is changing is phenomenal, and it is not just that but also the speed of innovation.” For Otter, there is no better industry to be involved in at present than the software industry, as it is one of the most creative. “It is an expression of brain power, if you think about it.

There are no buildings and things. It is all about people creating stuff. It is fundamentally a creative industry, an industry that relies on ideas.” It was while at WBS that he had his “aha” moment, he says. “We were involved in a game where we had to simulate business and our group brought in a computer – a 286. By the third round, we were so far ahead we were holding some 96% of the market share. It was in that moment that I realised the importance of computers in HR.” A few weeks later, during a talk at the school, Otter was convinced when a lecturer said HR technology paid double that of HR. “I suppose it is in the cracks between disciplines where I am inspired, because I can see opportunity and fun here.” Otter’s first job was a baptism of fire, but he soon moved on to better things and, by 1996, had established himself as an expert in his field. At the time he was working for SAP South Africa, selling the HR product. When he went to a conference in Germany on behalf of the company, SAP Germany offered him a position and he accepted.

“It was an amazing opportunity. My wife and I were just married and we set off on this European adventure.” Following a stint at SAP Europe, he decided to open his own software company in 2000, but sadly closed the doors after a year. “We needed to raise some serious funds and we just couldn’t – but even though it was not a successful venture, it was one of the greatest experiences. I forget sometimes how much I learnt in that year.” It was while working again at SAP that Gartner approached him, after reading one of his blogs. The rest, as they say, is history. With extensive experience in global HR technology deployments, Otter mostly works from his home in Heidelberg, usually in slipslops and shorts. “I watch my children walk to school in the mornings and am there when they come home. What more can one ask for?”

He is a family man at heart, who hates going away for business, and not only because he is then expected to wear a suit. An avid cyclist, his other pastime, he says, is reading. “Anything and everything. And, of course, I am still trying to finish that PhD.” Otter’s insatiable thirst for knowledge has led him on a path of everyday discovery, dealing with technology issues somewhere between academia and the real world, where he is tasked with finding real-time solutions. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had and the people who have played a role in my life. It really is all about thinking out of the box and looking at it from a different perspective.”

For Otter, HR and IT are inextricably linked and, in the modern HR world, it is essential to grasp the power of technology. “It is all changing all the time and being part of that is truly amazing. For me, knowledge really is power and makes all the difference. I think it is important to be curious and to always challenge oneself to take a step forward and explore as much as one can.”