Master Data Management is "fundamentally about processes and data," says Mike Ferguson, Managing Director of Intelligent Business Strategies Limited. Effectively implementing MDM in both areas results in cost reduction, proactive responses to customers, suppliers and partners, and competitive business decision-making. In this one-on-one interview, Mike also discusses the impact of MDM on doing business globally as well as on competitiveness. He shares his thoughts on first steps companies can take toward implementing MDM and putting it to work for them. How MDM fits into the overall data warehousing solution as well as into a company's technology solutions portfolio are also topics Mike addresses. Mike has more than twenty-six years of IT experience, has consulted for dozens of companies, spoken at events worldwide, written numerous articles, and is a resident expert on the Business Intelligence Network.