Cisco Appoints New President and Chairman for Asia Pacific, Japan & Greater China

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 8 January 2021 - Cisco, the worldwide technology leader, today announced the appointment of Dave West as the new President, and Irving Tan as Chairman for its Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China business.

Dave is taking over from Miyuki Suzuki who has decided to retire after an illustrious career spanning nearly four decades. Dave has been with Cisco for 20 years and held various leadership roles during that period. Most recently, he was the Head of Cisco Japan, where he launched the Japan Country Digitization initiative, built important strategic alliances with key Japanese companies, and drove sustained growth in one of the most strategic markets in the region.

Prior to that, Dave held global leadership roles in Cisco, including leading worldwide Enterprise Networking and Security sales. He has also led Cisco's technology business in Asia-Pacific and Japan and served as the Chief Technology Officer for the region. Dave has spearheaded various key initiatives, designed and implemented innovative go-to-market models, and led multi-year digital transformations for customers.

Irving is moving back to Singapore after spending three years in the US where he was the Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations. During his time running Operations, Irving led an incredible transformation and managed effectively and gracefully through several global challenges -- most recently leading many of Cisco's pandemic response efforts.

Before moving to the US, Irving held multiple leadership roles in Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, including leading the region. He grew the business consistently during his four-year tenure and advanced Cisco's position as one of the most trusted IT partner for companies. Irving will partner with Dave and his leadership team on special projects to drive growth across the region.

Commenting on his appointment, Dave West said: "We are witnessing a major shift in the way businesses operate with technology driving the change. Home to some of the fastest growing and diverse economies in the world, Asia is leading the charge on this front. As a global leader in networking, collaboration, and cybersecurity, we are committed to working with our customers and partners to accelerate their digital transformation so they are ready for the future and can fully leverage the growth opportunities that are opening up. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead our business in this dynamic region and am looking forward to building on our success".  

"During his 20 years at Cisco, most recently as the head of Japan, Dave has demonstrated a strong understanding of the region, a great talent for recognizing and maximizing market trends and transitions, and the ability to motivate teams and drive growth. He's the right leader at the right time. I am delighted that Irving is taking on the role of Chairman for APJC. His experience on the Executive Leadership Team, and as a former leader of APJC, will be invaluable to our efforts to drive sustained growth in the region." said Gerri Elliott, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Cisco. "I also want to thank Miyuki for her immeasurable contributions to our customers, partners, and teams, and to me personally. She's a tremendous leader, leaves a great legacy behind, and I'm looking forward to partnering with Dave to build on that great foundation."

Currently based in Tokyo, Dave will relocate to Cisco's Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China headquarters in Singapore.  

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