Tech bellwether Cisco formally announced on Friday, Jan. 15, the appointment of Zaza Soriano Nicart as the new managing director and leader for its Philippines business.
Nicart succeeds Karrie Ilagan, who has taken on a regional role to lead Cisco Meraki across Asia Pacific including Japan and China.
Nicart, an industry veteran for almost 30 years, will be responsible for driving business growth and overseeing all operations across the Philippine market.
Prior to the appointment, she led the service provider business for Cisco in the Philippines and was responsible for delivering significant. Nicart also spearheaded the largest Cisco project in the Asean region, where the team built a nationwide transport network transformation strategy, aligned to the digitization plan of the Philippines.
The appointment of Nicart as Cisco Philippines managing director is expected to bolster the company’s plans to champion inclusive recovery in today’s hybrid, cloud, and digital-first world for year 2022 and beyond.
“Businesses across the Philippines are relying on technology more than ever. Over the past two years technology has helped businesses across the country continue to serve their customers, and keep their employees connected, even as most people worked from home. We believe that technology will play an even bigger role in the future,” Nicart said.
“It will open new growth avenues for businesses and boost the post-pandemic economic recovery. More importantly, it will enable an inclusive recovery by bringing these opportunities to underserved communities across the region. At Cisco, we are committed to contribute toward powering an inclusive future for all and I am looking forward to working with the team towards that.”
With Nicart at the helm, Cisco said it aims to help organizations of all sizes navigate the hybrid environment to unlock new growth opportunities, power an inclusive recovery, and promote equal opportunities for underserved populations to bridge the digital divide.
Bee Kheng Tay, president for Cisco Asean, said: “I am delighted to have Zaza lead our operations in Philippines. With decades of experience in the technology sector, she has in-depth knowledge of how businesses can leverage technology to address challenges and open growth opportunities. I am confident that her experience coupled with her leadership abilities will contribute tremendously to bolster digital innovation in the Philippines and bring immense value to the success of our teams, customers and partners.”
Cisco’s commitment to driving progress for the Philippines is guided by its country digital acceleration program entitled “Ugnayan 2030”, which centers on connectivity, collaboration, and cybersecurity as the pillars for business resilience in the Philippines.
Nicart concludes, “The essence of what we do at Cisco is steered by our desire to deliver innovative solutions that will not only guide Filipinos toward economic prosperity, but will also connect the unconnected, and ultimately, lead them towards a future that is inclusive— one where everyone wins.”
