Leadership Overview
Cisco has 10 executives leading key functions including sales operations, product strategy, regional management, technical architecture, and board governance.
Focused on advancing global connectivity, Cisco delivers innovative networking, security, and collaboration solutions that empower organizations to thrive within the complex digital landscape of the modern information technology industry.
Focused on advancing global connectivity, Cisco delivers innovative networking, security, and collaboration solutions that empower organizations to thrive within the complex digital landscape of the modern information technology industry.
Leadership Roles at Cisco
Kashif UlHaque - Country General Manager and Chief Executive Officer AFPAK
Kashif UlHaque, the Country General Manager and Chief Executive Officer AFPAK at Cisco, directs all business activities and strategic initiatives within the AFPAK region. Overseeing local market penetration, the Country General Manager and Chief Executive Officer AFPAK ensures that networking infrastructure and security products meet the specific needs of regional telecommunications providers. This leadership role involves managing complex stakeholder relationships and navigating regulatory environments to facilitate the adoption of Internet Protocol-based solutions. By driving digital transformation projects, Kashif UlHaque directly impacts the company's growth in emerging markets. Ultimately, UlHaque secures a competitive advantage by tailoring the broader corporate portfolio to address unique regional challenges, ensuring that the company remains the primary provider of choice for critical communications technology and advanced data center infrastructure across the entire AFPAK territory.
Fernando (nando) Gil de Bernabe y Varela - Vice President, Sales & Chief Operating Officer, , & Greater (Apjc Region, Asia Pacific, Japan, China)
Fernando (nando) Gil de Bernabe y Varela, the Vice President, Sales & Chief Operating Officer, , & Greater (Apjc Region, Asia Pacific, Japan, China) at Cisco, directs all commercial operations across the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China markets. Overseeing regional sales performance, the Vice President, Sales & Chief Operating Officer, , & Greater (Apjc Region, Asia Pacific, Japan, China) ensures alignment between networking product distribution and local market demands. This leadership role involves scaling infrastructure deployments to support voice, video, and data applications for diverse enterprise clients. By optimizing supply chain logistics and channel partner engagement, Gil de Bernabe y Varela directly impacts the company's revenue growth within these critical territories. Ultimately, Gil de Bernabe y Varela secures long-term market dominance by refining operational efficiency and expanding the footprint of Internet Protocol-based networking solutions throughout the entire region.
Ryan Jewe - Product People Partner & Chief of Staff
Ryan Jewe, the Product People Partner & Chief of Staff at Cisco, manages internal organizational alignment for the product development divisions. Overseeing human capital strategy, the Product People Partner & Chief of Staff ensures that engineering teams possess the necessary resources to innovate within the data center and wireless access point sectors. This leadership role involves bridging communication gaps between technical leads and executive management to accelerate product lifecycles. By fostering a culture of high performance and technical excellence, Ryan Jewe directly impacts the company's ability to deliver cutting-edge collaboration tools and analytics software. Ultimately, Jewe drives organizational agility, ensuring that the workforce remains perfectly synchronized with the evolving requirements of the global communications industry while maintaining a focus on long-term talent retention and strategic development goals.
William Nellis - Business Transformation Architect & Chief Technology Officer, Account
William Nellis, the Business Transformation Architect & Chief Technology Officer, Account at Cisco, designs scalable technical frameworks for major enterprise accounts. Overseeing the integration of advanced networking and data center products, the Business Transformation Architect & Chief Technology Officer, Account ensures that client systems achieve maximum performance and reliability. This leadership role involves translating complex business requirements into actionable technology roadmaps that leverage the full suite of company offerings. By architecting robust solutions for voice, video, and data applications, William Nellis directly impacts the company's ability to maintain long-term client partnerships. Ultimately, Nellis drives innovation by identifying emerging technical trends and incorporating these advancements into the core service delivery model, ensuring that every account benefits from the most efficient and secure communication infrastructure available in the current market.
Nikki Forbes - Chief of Staff & Board Executive
Nikki Forbes, the Chief of Staff & Board Executive at Cisco, coordinates high-level strategic planning and governance activities for the board of directors. Overseeing the flow of critical information, the Chief of Staff & Board Executive ensures that executive leadership remains focused on the company's core mission of advancing global communications technology. This leadership role involves facilitating board meetings, managing corporate policy development, and ensuring that strategic decisions align with long-term shareholder interests. By streamlining communication between the board and senior management, Nikki Forbes directly impacts the company's operational transparency and strategic focus. Ultimately, Forbes secures organizational stability by maintaining rigorous governance standards and ensuring that all corporate initiatives support the overarching goal of delivering world-class networking, security, and collaboration products to a global customer base.
Emma Polster - Compute Ucs Engineering Chief of Staff
Emma Polster, the Compute Ucs Engineering Chief of Staff at Cisco, manages the operational rhythm and strategic execution of the Unified Computing System engineering division. Overseeing resource allocation and project timelines, the Compute Ucs Engineering Chief of Staff ensures that development teams deliver high-performance data center products on schedule. This leadership role involves coordinating cross-functional efforts to integrate new hardware and software features into the existing product portfolio. By optimizing engineering workflows, Emma Polster directly impacts the company's ability to maintain a leading position in the competitive server and data center market. Ultimately, Polster drives technical progress by removing operational bottlenecks and fostering collaboration across engineering departments, ensuring that the company continues to provide the most reliable and scalable computing infrastructure for modern enterprise data centers worldwide.
Christopher Chew - Technical Leader & Chief Technology Officer, Security & Digital Trust Office of The, Cx
Christopher Chew, the Technical Leader & Chief Technology Officer, Security & Digital Trust Office of The, Cx at Cisco, architects advanced security frameworks and digital trust protocols for the customer experience division. Overseeing the development of robust protection mechanisms, the Technical Leader & Chief Technology Officer, Security & Digital Trust Office of The, Cx ensures that all networking and collaboration products maintain the highest standards of data integrity. This leadership role involves evaluating emerging cyber threats and integrating proactive defense measures into the company's global service offerings. By prioritizing security in every product iteration, Christopher Chew directly impacts the company's reputation as a trusted partner in the information technology industry. Ultimately, Chew secures the digital infrastructure of global clients by implementing cutting-edge security solutions that mitigate risk and enhance overall system resilience.
Ryan Mathus - Public Sector Engineering Chief of Staff (US)
Ryan Mathus, the Public Sector Engineering Chief of Staff (US) at Cisco, directs the operational strategy for engineering teams serving government and public sector clients. Overseeing the deployment of specialized networking and communication solutions, the Public Sector Engineering Chief of Staff (US) ensures that all projects meet the rigorous compliance and performance standards required by public institutions. This leadership role involves coordinating technical resources to support large-scale infrastructure initiatives across the United States. By streamlining the delivery of secure and reliable technology, Ryan Mathus directly impacts the company's success in the public sector market. Ultimately, Mathus drives efficiency by aligning engineering capabilities with the unique needs of government agencies, ensuring that the company remains the preferred provider for critical public infrastructure and secure communication networks.
Neelima Tumuluri - Portfolio Manager & Chief of Staff
Neelima Tumuluri, the Portfolio Manager & Chief of Staff at Cisco, oversees the strategic management of the company's diverse product portfolio. Overseeing the alignment of product development with market trends, the Portfolio Manager & Chief of Staff ensures that the company maintains a balanced and competitive offering of networking, collaboration, and IoT solutions. This leadership role involves analyzing market data to prioritize investments in high-growth areas while optimizing the performance of existing product lines. By managing the lifecycle of key technologies, Neelima Tumuluri directly impacts the company's overall market impact and revenue potential. Ultimately, Tumuluri secures long-term growth by ensuring that the product portfolio remains responsive to the evolving needs of the global communications industry, providing customers with the most relevant and innovative technology solutions available.
Jade Lentz - Director, Chief of Staff
Jade Lentz, the Director, Chief of Staff at Cisco, coordinates executive-level initiatives and drives operational excellence across the organization. Overseeing the execution of strategic priorities, the Director, Chief of Staff ensures that various departments remain focused on the company's mission to connect the world through advanced networking technology. This leadership role involves facilitating cross-departmental collaboration and managing the implementation of key corporate programs. By streamlining internal processes and enhancing communication, Jade Lentz directly impacts the company's ability to respond quickly to market changes and customer needs. Ultimately, Lentz secures organizational success by fostering a culture of accountability and efficiency, ensuring that all teams work in harmony to deliver the high-quality products and services that define the company's leadership in the global information technology sector.
Explore Leadership Teams in Networking Software
Esco Technologies Inc. (ESCO), founded in 1995 and headquartered St. Louis, Missouri, provides engineered products and solutions. The Company supplies special-purpose communications systems for electric, gas, and water utilities.
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Vistance Networks, Inc. is a global provider of intelligent network infrastructure solutions for communications, data center, and entertainment networks, headquartered in Richardson, Texas. Founded in 1976 and formerly known as CommScope Holding Company, the company rebranded as Vistance Networks in January 2026 following the divestiture of its Connectivity and Cable Solutions segment to Amphenol Corporation. Vistance Networks operates as the parent company to two primary business segments: Aurora Networks and RUCKUS Networks. Aurora Networks serves as a world leader in access network solutions, offering a comprehensive end-to-end product portfolio that supports global service providers with hybrid fiber-coax, passive optical network, and broadband network products for residential and metro distribution networks. RUCKUS Networks develops purpose-driven networking solutions for demanding environments, delivering award-winning Wi-Fi, switching, and cloud-managed platforms that enable positive business outcomes across various industries. The company serves telecommunications operators, cable television providers, multi-system operators, data center managers, and enterprise customers across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, Caribbean, and Latin America. Vistance Networks distributes its products and services through independent distributors, specialized resellers, wireless and wireline operators, original equipment manufacturers, system integrators, and direct sales channels. With a commitment to innovation and customer service, Vistance Networks positions itself as a foremost authority in access network and purpose-driven network solutions, delivering intelligent infrastructure that brings reliability and performance to a connected world.
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Founded in 1976, CommScope Holding provides infrastructure solutions for communications networks worldwide. It also provides fiber optic connectivity solutions, including hardened connector systems, fiber distribution hubs and management systems, couplers and splitters, plug and play multiport service terminals, hardened optical terminating enclosures, high density cable assemblies, optical distribution frames, and splice closures that support video, voice, and high-speed data services provided by telecommunications operators and multi-system operators. The company sells its products through a network of distributors, system integrators, and value-added resellers. The company is headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina.
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Ultra Intelligence & Communications provides critical, tactical capabilities that inform decision making in the most challenging environments. Our team of experts possess decades of expertise in mission-critical, multi-domain communications, command and control, and cyber security. Real-time C2 and integrated intelligence and leading-edge networked radio solutions are helping to reimagine the future of the connected digital battlespace.
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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Cisco Top Executives and Leadership Team
