Cisco CEO: Let's toss more execs on the employment bonfire

Another bunch of old timers are being swept out of Cisco by incoming CEO Chuck Robbins as he names his new look exec team - which isn’t really that new at all.

The current veep of worldwide sales is saying bye to chief globalisation officer Wim Elfrink, chief strategy and tech officer Padmasree Warrior, and Edzard Overbeek, the senior veep of services.

Collectively the three have accumulated 47 years' services at Cisco but will be “transitioning over the next few months” said Robbins - presumably into the arms of a new employer or, for at least one, retirement.

“We are so fortunate that these leaders are able to remain with us in the near-term to finish key project and ensure a smooth transition,” added Robbins, who becomes Cisco CEO from 26 July.

Elfrink retires on 25 July; Warrior is working on “key partnerships” until September; and Overbeek is apparently quitting after 15 years but remains on the board as a strategic advisor as the new exec lineup beds down.

All but one of the team that will “define and build the next chapter” for the networking titan are already Cisco execs, save for Dr Ruba Borno, who will join as veep of growth initiatives and chief of staff. Currently she is a principal analyst at the Boston Consulting Group.

The other teamsters include veep of development, Pankaj Patel, CFO Kelly Kramer, senior veep operations Rebecca Jacoby, chief people officer Francine Katsoudas, Chris Dedicoat, senior veep of worldwide sales, Joe Cozzolino, senior veep of services, CTO Hilton Romanski, Karen Walker the CMO and Mike Chandler, general counsel.

“Some have been with the company for as long as I have or longer, a third have joined Cisco in the last three years, and others are new to Cisco,” said Robbins.

The latest shake-up follows Robbins’ confirmation earlier this week that several c-suite execs are also leaving the business - president Rob Lloyd and Garry Moore will be out by month-end.

Current CEO John Chambers’ slippers are already waiting for him upstairs in the exec chairman’s office. ®