Empowering companies to build robust and resilient AI infrastructure, Jeetu, Tom, and Kevin will share Cisco's latest strategies for delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions designed to meet the evolving demands of AI workloads.
Kevin is Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cisco Networking – Data Center and Provider Connectivity organization. In this role, he leads a portfolio that transforms how our customers build and manage their network architectures. He has worked with the world's largest Service Provider, Enterprise, and Web Companies for the last three decades and has been with Cisco since 1997.
As the leader for Cisco's Data Center and Provider Connectivity portfolio, Kevin is focused on how the industry and technologies are transforming and continuously evolving Cisco's products and solutions to help customers address their business challenges in the world's largest data centers, provider infrastructure, and cloud.
During his 25 years at Cisco, Kevin has driven several industry-leading transitions across a breadth of Cisco products and technologies. His work has included positions in product management, technical marketing, and software engineering, but he has always focused on the needs of the world's largest Service Providers. Kevin has led the delivery of many flagship products, such as the GSR, CRS, ASR, and NCS families, and our latest offering with the Cisco 8000 - Cisco's fastest-growing service provider product portfolio in history!
In addition, Kevin's goal is to continuously deliver innovation and efficiency across the Data Center and Provider Connectivity portfolio. For example, the recent merger of the Data Center and Routing teams brought together the technologies needed to build the world's most advanced data centers, provider networks, and cloud, as well as the tools to automate and manage them to modernize and simplify the delivery of network infrastructure.
Throughout it all, Kevin has held a customer-first mindset. He works closely with customers to help them build world-class networks that deliver revenue growth opportunities and operational efficiency while mitigating risk across hardware, software, and systems.
Kevin has his Bachelor's and Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University and has held a Routing and Switching CCIE. When he isn't working or traveling, he enjoys cooking, mountain biking, golfing, and spending time with his family.
Tom Gillis is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cisco Security, Data Center, Internet & Cloud Infrastructure Group. A respected industry leader with strong executive management skills and in-depth knowledge of the challenges surrounding secure integrated networking, Tom is responsible for leading the company's efforts to build secure infrastructure and extend it to the campus and branch. These efforts enable customers to reduce risks, streamline management, and adapt more effectively to modern threats. He previously led Cisco’s Security Business Group (SBG).
Prior to Cisco, Tom was the SVP/GM of the Network and Advanced Security Business Group at VMware, where he led the endpoint, networking, load balancing and network security businesses. He was also the CEO/co-founder of Bracket Computing which was acquired by VMware.
Before Bracket Computing, Tom was the GM of the Security Technology Group at Cisco where he led the company’s businesses for security management, appliances, applications, and endpoint services. Tom was also part of the founding team at IronPort Systems and served as senior vice president of marketing when the company was acquired by Cisco. Under his guidance, IronPort grew an average of 100 percent year-on-year for seven years. During his tenure, IronPort rose to become the leading provider of antispam, antivirus, and antimalware appliances for organizations ranging from small businesses to Global 2000.
Tom has also worked at iBEAM Broadcasting, Silicon Graphics, and Boston Consulting Group in various technical and leadership roles. He is also a noted advisor to startups and venture capital companies and is a member of several boards of directors.
Tom holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard University, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with an M.S.E.E. degree from Northwestern University and a B.S.E.E. from Tufts University.
Jeetu Patel is Cisco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer. He is focused on bringing the power of the Cisco portfolio together to connect and protect every aspect of customers’ businesses in the AI era.
Jeetu joined Cisco in 2020 as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration where he reinvigorated organic innovation, championed key inorganic investments, and drove simplification across these multibillion-dollar portfolios with a fanatical focus on design and user experience positioning them for success and growth.
He has 20+ years of senior leadership experience driving product design, development, innovation, and business growth.