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Friday, November 28, 2008
The Mover
Best brings decades of research from IDC to Lux
By Catherine Williams, Special to Mass High Tech
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Looking for a new challenge and predicting a decline in the information technology research market, Donald Best abandoned his 23-year career at Framingham-based IDC Research Inc. to become the managing director of Boston-based Lux Research Inc., a research firm focused on emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, bioscience and clean energy.
“I wanted to be with a growth company,” said Best, who started at Lux on Nov. 3. “This market is clearly growing and important to the world economy.”
A global economic downturn and competition from companies such as Boston-based solar technology research firm Photon Consulting Inc. present challenges for 4-year-old Lux Research. Best said his top priority is to expand the company’s U.S. business and keep pace with Lux’s growth abroad. Growing business will be “tough,” but he’s optimistic, he said. The pressure on chemical, materials and oil and gas companies to innovate is driving the market, said Best.
“Innovation isn’t stopping,” said Best. “The rate of change isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.”
As a leader, Best said he tries to anticipate and react quickly to market changes. Best says he prefers getting people to follow, rather than leading them along. And he always tries to surround himself with the best people, even if they have differing opinions.
“I like to lead from the front,” said Best. “As a leader, you better make a decision that people are going to buy into or it’s not going to work.”
Lux employs 44 people, and most of its more than 100 customers are technology startups and large chemical and materials companies. Recently, Lux began conducting research on water technologies, like reverse osmosis and desalinization.
A native of New Jersey, Best commutes from the Garden State to Boston. Some mornings he leaves home by car at 4 a.m. to reach Boston by 9 a.m. Other days, he opts for a “quiet car” seat on the Amtrak train.
Best earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1978 from the College of New Jersey. Looking for some “intellectual stimulation” later in his career, Best pursued a12-month international relations program. He earned a master’s degree from Tufts University’s Fletcher School in 2007.
Most recently, Best served as IDC’s senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. Prior to that, he served as vice president of the company’s consulting group.
Catherine Williams is a freelance writer in Boston.
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