Retail analyst Brendan Witcher says farewell to research and advisory firm Forrester
Brendan Witcher has announced his departure from Forrester, where he spent the past 12 years as a VP and analyst.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: "Two weeks ago, after 12 years of service, hundreds of reports, thousands of engagements (advisories, workshops, speeches, webinars, etc.), and literally tens of thousands of connections made, I was told I would no longer be on the Forrester payroll after 2nd January."
"So, for the first time in 30 years, I will be unemployed starting Monday. What's next? I'm not certain. But I've crossed "Be a top Forrester VP/Analyst and trusted asset for our clients." off my 2026 resolution list and hoping to replace it with something similar very soon."
Witcher added: "I am wildly grateful for each and every one of you, and hold precious all the laughs, intellectual conversations, ah-ha moments, personal reflections, and rants of honesty that only two people who fully trust each other would share."
"Whatever happens, next, I do hope it means engaging regularly with all of you in the coming year and beyond. If you ever feel like reaching out, please do so. I may no longer be an analyst, but I am always at your service."
RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List
Witcher is included in the latest edition of the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List, sponsored by 3D Cloud. Here are the people who made a splash in 2025 and are set for a barnstorming 2026.
RTIH has scoured the retail technology world to find the most influential figures for this comprehensive list of people and trends that shape the industry and help drive it forward.
We’re living in unprecedented times.
In a post-Covid world, we’re witnessing a seismic change in shopping habits. Retailers are taking innovative technologies like AR, AI, machine learning, and finding ways to use them to boost business efficiency and make customer experiences more exciting and dynamic.
Which is where the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List comes in, presented, we should stress, in no particular order.
Such disruption requires new ways of problem solving and thought leaders who can both evangelise and execute on the likes of digital transformation and omnichannel success.
We hope you enjoy reading through it and, as always, if you would like to give feedback or believe that there are some glaring omissions, please feel free to get in touch (a contact us form can be found at the end of this article).
Many thanks to 3D Cloud, which provides 3D product visualisation software trusted by top furniture and DIY retailers, for sponsoring the report.
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