It’s with great excitement that today I can publicly reveal my new leadership team and some subtle changes to how our partner-led and commercial business will work going forwards. We’re now in our new financial year, and already there is a lot of energy being shown to make FY16 a great success, just two weeks after the books closed on FY15.
Firstly, let’s look back on the previous financial year in the UK, where the Partner-Led model has continued to deliver growth and sustainable profitability for our partners. Growth brings with it the constant need to invest and expand, so as to ensure the business continues to accelerates against a backdrop of one of the most complex markets that I’ve ever worked in.
For several years now we’ve talked about market transitions and how our Partner community needs to transform with us, to go where this market is going. It’s not a small change, but right now we’re in the sweet spot of making that happen, driving even greater focus upon both our partner offer and our focus upon the Commercial customer segment. We must continually create value and opportunity for our Partners; that has been, and will always remain, at the very heart of what we do.
So, with immediate effect, all elements of our Partner team will be brought together in one organisation to drive synergies and focus. The Commercial team will also be consolidated into a single, focused, centre of sales excellence. Our priority here is to deliver sustainable growth through knowledge of the market and the customers
Over recent years we have seen Cisco-based Services, both our own and our Partners’ own offerings, contributing an ever greater proportion of our Partners’ profitability. With that in mind, I am delighted to announce that Angela Whitty has joined my team to lead the UK Partner organisation. Who better to have in this role than someone who has successfully led the evolution of our UK&I Services business within Cisco for almost two decades.
Whatever solution, customer segment or vertical market focus our Partners may have, Angela and her team will deliver the most compelling partnership offer so that they may capitalise fully upon the opportunities ahead.
With the increasing pace and complexity of today’s Commercial market, where customers innovate at light speed and disruptors with new business models transform markets almost overnight, it is critical that we provide the laser focus required to spot the transformations and opportunities earliest, and to execute with flawless efficiency. Experienced leadership is fundamental to our success in such times. I am therefore pleased to announce that Sean Collins has joined my team to lead the UK Commercial customer business. Sean’s team will be totally focused upon further accelerating our growth in this critical market alongside our Partners.
The final change I’m going to cover today is also significant in its scale.
In recent years Ireland has come through recession to become one of Europe’s most vibrant technology hubs. Home to a number of technology multinationals, Ireland has become a hotbed of innovation and creativity, attributes echoed by the Cisco team based there. Lots can be learned from the work carried out in Ireland, and I am pleased to announce that our Ireland team has joined my operation. Our country leader for Ireland, Adam Grennan, will be a central member of my leadership team, bringing his wealth of knowledge of digitisation and country transformation to the entire UK&I Commercial operation. This new-look team gives every confidence that our Partner community is set for an even brighter, more profitable future.
Throughout my career, I have never seen a time when the market was more in need of the creativity, diversity and commitment that only our Partner community can deliver. As I hope you can tell, I’m really excited about the year ahead and the innumerable opportunities that we have to transform our customers, our markets and ourselves.
That’s it for now from me, but I’ll be in touch again soon to explain more about our strategy and focus for the year ahead.
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A clear and concious message Richard, and great use of social media to get it out. Good luck to everyone in FY16, in what promises to be another exciting year.
Congratulations Richard! You are making bold moves which will benefit Cisco, our partners and our customers in every segment! You’ve built a world-class team and I look forward to working with them as we strive for continued growth in the UK&I in FY16.
Good luck to you and your whole team.
Rachel