MPW 2023: Here’s how Cisco India chief Daisy Chittilapilly wishes to make a difference

In FY23, two years since Daisy Chittilapilly took over as President of Cisco India & SAARC, India emerged as one of the highest-performing markets globally for the company, contributing to the overall growth. Under her leadership, the India operations re-imagined the go-to-market strategy to bring Cisco’s capabilities to the fore and make them more accessible to customers. And scripting the next chapter in the company’s journey in India, Cisco is once again making significant investments in setting up a manufacturing operation to support the growing demand from customers. “The manufacturing facility will build Cisco’s best-in-class technology, and we aim to drive over $1 billion in combined domestic production and exports in the coming years,” says Chittilapilly.

Chittilapilly, a 19-year Cisco veteran, says, “Talent and technology are the two most powerful elements for creating a positive impact in the world.” Hence, she has embarked on a journey to empower people and communities. “Cisco has a goal of positively impacting 50 million lives by 2025 in India; 30 million lives have been impacted to date, and we are well on our way to surpassing our goal,” she adds.

Chittilapilly is also closely involved with Cisco’s Networking Academy, which is helping bridge gaps in digital skills. It is equipping learners with skills in areas like infrastructure automation and cybersecurity. Cisco has trained over 1.3 million learners so far, of whom about 31 per cent are women, and is committed to training 500,000 people with cybersecurity skills over the next three years.