Cisco’s Chief: I’m Here to Stay

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) Chief Executive John Chambers said on Monday that he would probably stay in his position for at least another three to five years. 

Asked at a JP Morgan technology conference about his future plans — for example, if he would move into politics — the 59-year-old head of the biggest U.S. network equipment maker said he was more likely to teach. 

"I love what I do. I’m going to retire here at Cisco and after that I will teach," he said. "I intend to stay at Cisco for probably a minimum of three to five more years, assuming I can earn the shareholders’ trust, our employees’ trust, our customers’ trust, and assuming my health holds up."

Since Chambers took the CEO role in January 1995, Cisco has grown from a company with $1.2 billion in annual revenue to nearly $40 billion, as the expansion of the Internet fueled demand for routers and switches that direct Web traffic.