For the first time after Daisy Chittilapilly took over Cisco’s India and SAARC leadership, global CEO Chuck Robbins visited India earlier this year. Following the visit, Cisco announced plans to roll out full-fledged manufacturing with production worth about $1 billion. Recalling the standout moment, Daisy says, “We got a chance to connect with various stakeholders. It was energising to see the optimism and confidence in India.”
Cisco, synonymous with networking, data, security and connected technologies, generated $51 billion revenue in FY22 with nearly $15 billion coming from software. As a Cisco leader, Daisy has been building a team focused on software capabilities and driving growth with trust as cornerstone. “For me, trust and respect not just towards me but also between team members is very important. I look for people whose natural inclination is to put the company first, their teams second and themselves last,” says Chittilapilly. For Cisco, India tops in the APJC (Asia Pacific, Japan and China) region. APJC contributes 16% to revenues in FY22.
Also, Cisco India has been expanding its Cloud infrastructure for collaboration and security services and recently announced setting up of two data centers. Over 15,000 employees in India are now leading Cisco’s SaaS innovation. Cisco has also been leading in certifications and training programmes. Under the CyberSuraksha programme with NIIT Foundation, it is looking to train one million underprivileged individuals in cybersecurity by 2025, with 40% being women. — Rukmini Rao