Making Change

The impending exit of two top Cisco executives, including global sales leader Chris Dedicoat (pictured), sent further signals to the channel that CEO Chuck Robbins intends to completely remake the networking giant as a leader in the market for cloud-based solutions sold on a recurring revenue model.

Dedicoat, a 22-year Cisco veteran is leaving the company July 28, Cisco said Thursday. The company hasn't named his replacement and said Dedicoat would become a senior advisor to Robbins after stepping down. Also, Rebecca Jacoby, senior vice president of operations and another 22-year Cisco veteran, plans to retire from the company at the end of January. She'll be replaced by current Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan Irving Tan.

Dedicoat was handpicked as executive vice president of worldwide sales by Robbins, who held the position before becoming CEO in 2015. And while that move and Dedicoat's move into the C-suite as senior advisor speaks to Robbins' confidence in Dedicoat, solution providers told CRN that his replacement should perhaps have deeper cloud sales experience.

Click through to see seven things to know about Cisco's executive shakeup.