Cisco Transforms Channel Executive Team

Cisco is shaking up its channel executives promoting Wendy Bahr to senior vice president of Global and Transformational Partnerships, and Cisco is actively seeking a replacement for her in the role of senior vice president of the US and Canada Theater for the channel.

Edison Peres is serving as senior vice president of Worldwide Channels, and Dave O’Callaghan is serving as vice president of Worldwide Commercial Sales.

Keith Goodwin, senior vice president of the Worldwide Partner Organization made the announcements in his blog this week.

Goodwin said that the changes follow up on an effort by Cisco’s Worldwide Partner Organization earlier this year to begin development of a three-to-five year strategic plan. The plan so far has established three areas of focus:

• Innovate and invest in our industry-leading channel model
• Build new global transformational partnerships
• Drive SMB and Small Business growth with innovative partner-led models

Peres’s new role calls for him to lead all aspects of Cisco’s worldwide channel management—including Segment and Architecture Go-to-Market (GTM), Distribution, Channel Programs, Marketing, Business Management & Operations (BMO), and Learning Partners.

Bahr’s new role will put her in charge of  increasing global, cross-functional alignment and communications around our GTM strategy with this very strategic and diverse group of partners. The Strategic Partner Organization, the Technology Alliances team, and global partner relationships, will report in to Bahr.

Goodwin further said that Cisco will focus on accelerating growth in the SMB market (1-1,000) through a dedicated Worldwide Commercial Sales team within the Worldwide Partner Organization, led by Dave O’Callaghan.