David Meads leads Cisco’s business operations across the African continent. In his role he is responsible for defining Cisco’s go‐to‐market strategy across the African continent and for the field execution of that strategy.
He focuses primarily on country transformational opportunities where technology, and in particular broadband, can help accelerate the government agenda. He was appointed to the role after more than two and a half years as Managing Director for Cisco in South Africa, where he created a robust partner model, grew the Enterprise, Service Provider and Commercial businesses and built a strong local team.
During his tenure, Cisco helped the country develop its e‐Skills Initiative, aimed at harnessing information and communications technologies for socio‐economic development. Meads brings to the role the perspective of working for both Cisco and one of its partners. He joined Cisco in 1996 from Siemens Network Systems, which was Cisco’s largest Gold Partner at the time. He returned to Siemens in 2001 as Sales Director before rejoining Cisco in 2006, to lead the UK’s Commercial business. He moved to Financial Services where he led Cisco’s London City sales operation and was in charge of the offices based in the heart of the UK capital’s business district.
During his time working for the UK and Ireland, he was Cisco’s Executive Sponsor for Corporate Social Responsibility. In his current role, he is a member of Cisco’s Emerging Theatre Senior Leadership Team. Meads, who is married with two teenage boys, is a keen golfer and a lifelong supporter of Queens Park Rangers
IT News Africa caught up with Meads at the 2015 Internet of Things World Forum (IoTWF), which was held at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, where he discussed how the Internet of Things can benefit Africa.
Interview conducted by Darryl Linington
