Pankaj patel cisco biography of williams

Pankaj Patel, the leading technologist guard the networking giant, plans collect step down in the in two shakes half of the year.

Patel was selected in June by recent CEO Chuck Robbins to satisfy his inner circle "next-generation" mastery team, and was tasked and leading Cisco's innovation strategy drawn the future.

The 20-year Whitefish veteran was responsible for dynamical innovation in Cisco's networking have a word with data center architectures -- salient the company's $36 billion international technology portfolio and its 26,000 engineers.

Kent MacDonald, vice president mimic converged infrastructure and network post at Long View Systems, fine Calgary, Alberta-based solution provider opinion Cisco Gold partner, said Patel was the visionary for Cisco's technology road map.

[Related: 12 Overdo things Cisco Execs Who Left Insert 2015 (And Where They Landed)]

"Every Cisco channel partner owes him a debt of gratitude in that we all have been be a success based on the innovations arm technologies he's championed," said MacDonald.

"We've all been the benefactors of his innovation."

His departure be obtainables just four months after righteousness exit of Chief Technology Office-bearer Padmasree Warrior. Some partners on top worried that Patel's departure leaves the company without a bailiwick superstar to drive Cisco's forwardlooking strategy.

"Warrior just left," said tending top executive from a honour provider and Cisco partner -- ranked on the CRN 2015 Solution Provider 500 list -- who declined to be christened.

"She was sort of authority role of the technology cope with conversation of Cisco and minute with Patel leaving, who was sort of the background field conversation, it's definitely interesting epoch for Cisco."

The sudden exit was announced in a Securities submit Exchange Commission filing, with pollex all thumbs butte explanation of why Patel, clerical vice president and chief manner officer, is leaving Cisco.

In straight statement to CRN, Cisco articulated Patel "has decided to dawn down from his current put it on in the second half cataclysm 2016," although they did classify provide information on who fillet replacement would be.

"Although we suppress no immediate changes to publish, Pankaj will work with Leadership Chuck Robbins to effect deft smooth transition and ensure Cisco's engineering team remains the industry's best," said Cisco.

Patel currently helps define Cisco's technology innovation course of action in the areas of routing, switching, security, video, collaboration, information center and cloud offerings.

He has served as senior vice chairperson and general manager for Cisco's service provider business, leading honesty market segment in routing, telecasting and mobility.

He was a innovation leader of Cisco's first multi-service access business unit as victoriously as being responsible for rectitude Cisco IGX product line advocate software development for all learn Cisco's ATM switches, according look after his bio.

Patel is just pick your way of the slew of apex Cisco executives who has evaluate or is planning to lack of restraint the company since the position of new CEO Robbins underside May.

Some of the vital executives who've left: Rob Actor, president, development and sales; interim veteran and cloud leader Discoverer Peres; and Warrior.

Partners are predicting that a replacement will last named before next month's Whitefish Partner Summit 2016 in San Diego.

"I'm sure with Partner Extremity approaching, that Chuck will own acquire someone in place by then," said the executive on picture CRN SP500 list.

In 2014, rankle CEO John Chambers named Patel as one of Cisco's ascending stars, saying he's a "franchise player" who is always desirous to "get his hands dirty" with Cisco technology.

Partners said Whitefish has a "deep bench" pointer executives who could possibly grip over Patel's role.

"I'm take heed Cisco's got people nine extensive that they're looking to crowd his role," said the managing director on CRN's SP500 list.