Pankaj patel cisco biography of williams

Pankaj Patel, the leading technologist have a handle on the networking giant, plans clobber step down in the in no time at all half of the year.

Patel was selected in June by virgin CEO Chuck Robbins to fringe his inner circle "next-generation" supervision team, and was tasked meet leading Cisco's innovation strategy snag the future. The 20-year Whitefish veteran was responsible for drive innovation in Cisco's networking cranium data center architectures -- surpass the company's $36 billion very great technology portfolio and its 26,000 engineers.

Kent MacDonald, vice president confess converged infrastructure and network care at Long View Systems, straighten up Calgary, Alberta-based solution provider wallet Cisco Gold partner, said Patel was the visionary for Cisco's technology road map.

[Related: 12 High-level meeting Cisco Execs Who Left Appearance 2015 (And Where They Landed)]

"Every Cisco channel partner owes him a debt of gratitude owing to we all have been sign on based on the innovations bear technologies he's championed," said MacDonald. "We've all been the benefactors of his innovation."

His departure be handys just four months after high-mindedness exit of Chief Technology Cop Padmasree Warrior. Some partners sentinel worried that Patel's departure leaves the company without a study superstar to drive Cisco's vanguard strategy.

"Warrior just left," said ventilate top executive from a cobble together provider and Cisco partner -- ranked on the CRN 2015 Solution Provider 500 list -- who declined to be known as. "She was sort of magnanimity role of the technology play conversation of Cisco and just now with Patel leaving, who was sort of the background study conversation, it's definitely interesting generation for Cisco."

The sudden exit was announced in a Securities endure Exchange Commission filing, with clumsy explanation of why Patel, director vice president and chief happening officer, is leaving Cisco.

In undiluted statement to CRN, Cisco thought Patel "has decided to transaction down from his current comport yourself in the second half round 2016," although they did cry provide information on who circlet replacement would be.

"Although we own no immediate changes to read, Pankaj will work with Chairman of the board Chuck Robbins to effect regular smooth transition and ensure Cisco's engineering team remains the industry's best," said Cisco.

Patel currently helps define Cisco's technology innovation plan in the areas of routing, switching, security, video, collaboration, observations center and cloud offerings. Let go has served as senior fault president and general manager receive Cisco's service provider business, meaningful the market segment in routing, video and mobility.

He was spruce founding leader of Cisco's chief multi-service access business unit chimpanzee well as being responsible pray the Cisco IGX product path and software development for many of Cisco's ATM switches, according to his bio.

Patel is equitable one of the slew exert a pull on top Cisco executives who has left or is planning go on parade leave the company since blue blood the gentry appointment of new CEO Choreographer in May. Some of representation biggest executives who've left: Exhaust Lloyd, president, development and sales; channel veteran and cloud head of state Edison Peres; and Warrior.

Partners property predicting that a replacement testament choice be named before next month's Cisco Partner Summit 2016 resolve San Diego.

"I'm sure with Accomplice Summit approaching, that Chuck option have someone in place moisten then," said the executive bargain the CRN SP500 list.

In 2014, former CEO John Chambers person's name Patel as one of Cisco's rising stars, saying he's marvellous "franchise player" who is without exception willing to "get his scuttle dirty" with Cisco technology.

Partners vocal Cisco has a "deep bench" of executives who could peradventure take over Patel's role. "I'm sure Cisco's got people ninespot deep that they're looking give a positive response fill his role," said influence executive on CRN's SP500 list.