Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins announced in a blog post that the company is enhancing its 40-year-old Go-To-Market (GTM) engine to be one of the most advanced in the industry. As part of this move, Gary Steele, previously the executive vice president and general manager of Splunk, has been appointed as the new president of marketing at Cisco. In addition, Jeff Sharritts, the executive vice president and chief customer and partner officer at Cisco, will be leaving the company after more than 20 years of service.
Steele will lead the Sales, Partners, and Global Marketing teams at Cisco to align with customer needs and execute on strategies. About 90 percent of Cisco’s total sales come from indirect channels and alliance relationships, according to reports. The Splunk team, which was acquired by Cisco for $28 billion, will continue to report to Steele. His operational mindset and ability to drive growth make him well-suited for this new role, according to Robbins.
Meanwhile, Sharritts is set to depart from Cisco at the end of the fiscal year in mid-July. Robbins praised Sharritts for his leadership, authenticity, and integrity during his time at Cisco. Sharritts joined Cisco in 2000 and held various leadership positions within the company before becoming the executive vice president and chief customer and partner officer in 2022.
Robbins expressed gratitude for Sharritts’ contributions and emphasized his excitement to work closely with Steele to drive the company forward. He highlighted Steele’s focus on simplicity, growth, and customer feedback as essential for the organization’s success. As Cisco continues to evolve its GTM strategy, Robbins believes that Steele’s leadership will help align sales and engineering teams for better customer outcomes.
Overall, these executive changes represent Cisco’s commitment to refining its marketing and sales approaches to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. By leveraging the expertise of leaders like Steele and acknowledging the contributions of departing executives like Sharritts, Cisco aims to maintain its position as a leader in the technology industry.
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https://www.crn.com/news/networking/2024/sharritts-to-leave-as-cisco-exec-shuffle-puts-former-splunk-ceo-in-president-role
