Cisco Taps Hens for Worldwide Distribution VP

Cisco Systems (CSCO) last week promoted Julie Hens to handle its distribution-related programs and relationships worldwide, a responsibility Edison Peres, the vendor’s worldwide channels senior vice president, called a “critical piece of our go-to-market channel strategy, representing $13 billion a year in revenue for Cisco.”

Hens, whose new title officially is Worldwide Distribution vice president, succeeds Scott Brown, who Cisco recently promoted to APJC Partner Business Group vice president. Hens has been handling Cisco’s distribution in the Americas, but now has a much wider field of view along with more responsibilities. Cisco just began looking for her replacement, said Peres, in a blog post.

Hens, a 14-year company veteran who joined Cisco’s Distribution group in 2005 from its Service Provider Sales organization where she held sales, field operations and sales productivity jobs, was promoted to distribution unit vice president in 2008. She is credited with leading her team in 2010 to its first billion-dollar quarter and for doubling distribution sales, Peres said.

“We need a strong leader to continue the tradition of programs and relationships we’ve established with our key distribution partners,” he said. “Julie is a familiar face to many of our distribution partners and I’m confident she will be a fantastic leader in this global role thanks to her depth of experience and strong relationships.”

Hens is tasked with leading Cisco’s sales efforts through distributors, collaborating with the vendor’s operations in other regions of the world and overseeing supply-chain efficiency and inventory management, as well as ensuring global governance and compliance.

“In the last few years, distribution has been one of the fastest-growing routes-to-market for Cisco, helping to fuel our double-digit growth rates in the midmarket, and we will continue to leverage distribution to innovate, transform and grow revenue,” Peres said.

Peres also issued a nod to Brown’s tenure, thanking him “for his strong leadership over the past three years and for leaving our distribution organization in great shape for the next leader.”