PODCAST | Cisco’s strategy of pushing growth through its partner network

Cisco’s strategy of pushing growth through its partner network is the focus of this edition of Business Day Spotlight.

Host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by a team from Cisco: Jose van Dijk, vice-president of EMEA partner sales & routes to market; and Hayward Rose, partner channel lead for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Valued at about $236bn, Cisco at 40-years-old is one of the world’s largest technology companies. It manufactures and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment and other products.

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Channel partners are business that provide services or sell products on behalf of a software, hardware, networking or cloud services vendor. Like a number of global technology vendors, Cisco does not deal directly with its end users.

A 27-year Cisco veteran, Van Dijk explains how the group has used its network of more than 60,000 channel partners to grow its business. The company derives about 85% of its revenue through its partner network. 

She says certification and training of partners remains a key element to ensuring consistent service delivery across various markets.

Rose outlines how the group is using the strategy in SA and the broader African continent. 

Cisco is also a key player in SA’s managed services market, which is projected to grow from $1.44bn (R26.6bn) in 2023 to $2.06bn by 2032, according to data from Credence Research.

Market growth is fuelled by an increasing demand for cost-effective IT solutions and a rise in cyberthreats.

Topics of discussion include: Cisco’s partner network strategy; the size and scope of the network; its strategy in Africa, Middle East and Europe; training programmes; and trends in the sector. 

Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE Production. 

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