Nicolaas Smit

Nicolaas Smit leads the Global Energy vertical at Cisco. He is responsible for the identification, development and go-to-market strategy for energy industry solutions, to support energy customers as they shape the future of their industry. The Energy vertical in Cisco includes the Oil & Gas and Utility Industries.

Smit has been with Cisco since 1999 and has held multiple leadership positions within the Global Enterprise Theatre, the Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), Customer Service and Global IT. As the Director of Oil and Gas Strategy with the Global Enterprise theater he shaped Cisco’s go to market for the Global Customers. In his role in IBSG Director of Technology and Customer Experience, he successfully consulted with many customers to become more effective through changed business processes and intelligent technology deployment.

As a former Director of Global Cisco Services IT based in Europe, he brings significant and broad experience in Service, Operations and IT management to the global Energy organization, as well as Organization Development experience from the various global change management programs he led within Cisco Services IT and Customer Service.

Prior to joining Cisco, Smit worked for Ericsson’s European IT organization focused on Strategic Planning, IT Services, Cost Management, and Total Quality Management.

Throughout his career, Smit has focused on leading organizations through transformational and revolutionary change, with ‘Business Relevance of IT’ being at the centre of his IT management roles.

Smit is a graduate from the Free University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with a Master’s Degree in Dutch Notary Law. His professional education includes Stanford/Harvard ‘Leading Change and Organizational Renewal’, and certification in IT project management from the British computer society. He is fluent in Dutch, German and English.