Executive Biography

Wendy Mars

President, Cisco EMEA

Wendy Mars is President of Cisco’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA).

With responsibility for Cisco’s growth, business and operations across the region, Wendy’s focus is on driving strategies which deliver on customers’ technology and sustainability transformation requirements and help to close the digital divide. Under her leadership, the EMEA region delivers over $13bn annually and represents more than a quarter of Cisco’s revenue. 

Having joined Cisco in 2008, Wendy has held various senior positions, including leading the EMEA Technology and Partner organisations. Prior to this, she worked at ThruPoint, a global consultancy and provider of technology solutions serving as the Global CTO, having begun her career in IT with Morgan Stanley.

Wendy specialises in creating high-performing teams that are grounded in a powerful sense of common purpose, a focus on results and holding each other accountable. She is a passionate supporter of full spectrum diversity in business and actively participates in programs and drives initiatives that promote greater inclusion at all levels, with an emphasis on digital skills education. 

Wendy sits on the Board of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc as a Non-Executive Director. She holds a BEng(H) in Electronic Engineering from York University and an MSc in Operational Research from Lancaster University.