Pastora Valero

Pastora Valero is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy of Cisco’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR). She oversees government affairs activities in the region and is responsible for advancing Cisco’s technology and communications policy agenda with European institutions and governments.

Pastora joined Cisco in 2003, and she has close to three decades of experience in regulatory and public policy issues concerning telecommunications, internet regulations, competition and trade, among others. During her 18-year tenure at Cisco, she has successfully advocated for policies that foster the deployment of broadband networks, enable the future of wireless technologies, and provide thorough privacy and cybersecurity frameworks.

She is passionate about mentorship, talent development and women’s leadership as well as an advocate on the role of digital technologies in powering a more sustainable and inclusive future for all. She is also a member of Cisco’s Senior Leadership Team in EMEAR and the country sponsor for Egypt, a key market for Cisco in the Middle East region.

Prior to Cisco, Pastora was Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs for Global TeleSystems (GTS), a pan-European fibre-optic network operator. She started her career with the Brussels law firm Van Bael & Bellis, dealing with EU trade and competition law issues.

A qualified lawyer in Spain, she holds a master’s degree in European law (ULB, Brussels) and an L.L.M in international law (VUB, Brussels). She serves on the Board of Directors of Digital Europe and has represented Cisco on boards of various technology trade associations that are active in the EMEAR market, including serving as a former vice-chair of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU.

Originally from southern Spain, Pastora lives in Brussels with her husband and four children.