Cisco Australia and New Zealand brings on chief technology officer Carl Solder

Cisco has appointed a new chief technology officer (CTO) in Australia and New Zealand, with Carl Solder taking up the position.

Solder will be responsible for elevating Cisco’s technology strategy and highlighting the latest company innovations, with a strong customer focus to understand the needs and application of technology. Solder brings experience from the US, in which he led technical strategy for Cisco’s enterprise networking division. A technology evangelist, Solder’s rich perspective and technical mindset comes at a time when technology continues to have a critical role in the economy, industry, and society.

Cisco’s chief technology officer, Carl Solder, said, “It’s great to be back. I’m keen to connect back with our Australian and New Zealand customer community who, at the executive briefing centres in San Jose, are often viewed as technology thought leaders when compared to customer peers across the world.”

Solder’s perspective and experience as part of the evolution of Cisco’s enterprise technology strategy, in selling and building the technology and solutions, is paired with a strong customer lens in which he understands the needs and application

of the technology. It also comes with a passion for innovation at a time when Cisco’s engine is turning faster than ever.

“In my last few years at Cisco’s engineering headquarters, the team have upped the ante on driving its innovation engine. I saw more innovation being pushed out the door than any other time across my 25 years with Cisco.”

Solder has held a technical career with Cisco spanning a quarter of a decade. He returns to Australia after 14 years in Silicon Valley across a range of roles including leading a team of technical evangelists as vice president, engineering, enterprise networking business. His broader experience includes as a technical marketing engineering expert, and a consultant systems engineer in the Asia Pacific region. His career with Cisco started in 1996 as the second systems engineer to support customers in Western Australia. He will be based in Perth.

“The world is undergoing massive changes in the way it uses the network and associated technology and is integrated throughout business and in our lives. From the pandemic and shift to hybrid work, to increased cyber-attacks, the adoption of the internet of things, automation, developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning – all these factors have resulted in an acceleration of Cisco’s innovation engine. We are at a time in which the opportunities for customers and partners are evolving faster, and innovating more creatively. I am committed to helping our customers in Australia and New Zealand to continue leading the way.”