Q&A: Pete Solvik discusses his expanded role within Cisco focusing on Cisco's Internet strategy
What is your new role?
Having been Cisco's CIO for over eight years, I've had a chance to help build Cisco's Internet capabilities by recruiting the best IT team in the industry. During my tenure, we have gone from a $500 million company, to a nearly $20 billion company, using the Internet as a competitive advantage all along the way. What I enjoy most today is focusing on defining the next generation of Internet applications that will enable us to retain our leadership position as well as sharing our experience with customers, partners and suppliers. Brad's appointment allows me to spend more time on our Internet strategy and to share experiences with customers and at industry events.
What does Cisco's new CIO Brad Boston bring to the company?
Brad is a team player with a tremendous track record of technological innovation and a proven ability to adapt to diverse corporate cultures. He has successfully managed organizations in companies both large and small across multiple industries. He has held leadership roles at global enterprises including Sabre/American Airlines, American Express and Visa, all well known for harnessing technology for enhanced services, productivity gains and competitive advantage. The combination of this experience, along with his excitement and drive to continue to innovate, will make him a valuable colleague and leader.
What is Cisco's IT focus moving forward?
Cisco will continue to use IT and the Internet to achieve competitive advantage, develop new services and raise employee productivity. In the six-point plan that John Chambers laid out in January, the company was challenged to target additional ways to enhance productivity through the implementation of e-applications. We know that the productivity gains we are recognizing through the deployment of these applications are key to providing Cisco with the flexibility and agility needed to navigate through today's rapidly changing business environment.
What are the "killer apps" of the future?
We believe there are new breakthrough application opportunities across the business. As an example, e-sales, e-learning and e-engineering hold promise for significant impact on productivity and profitability at Cisco. Our sales team is implementing Internet solutions which provide better and faster access to sales statistics, real-time bookings and customer news, as well as a more efficient process for tracking overall sales efforts. They were recently rated as the "best trained sales force" in the U.S., across all industries. This was in large part due to Cisco's use of e-learning, an e-application that is responsible for a 40-60 percent cost savings and an 80 percent decrease in the time employees spend in training. These are huge cost and productivity savings, and are driving our continued focus on Internet-based technologies as a significant business priority for the company.
Looking back, what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
Building and being a part of the team that envisioned and implemented industry-leading internet applications beginning in the initial days of the commercial Web, and maintaining that leadership position for the past seven years.
