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Bob Dean

Executive Director, Manufacturing Industry

Business Transformation Organization

Robert (Bob) Dean is a Practice Director at Cisco in the Manufacturing Industry Vertical, Business Transformation Organization with over 35 years of experience. Bob is an advisor, confidant, and consultant to senior executives and management teams in the manufacturing, technology, and consulting industries worldwide. He speaks publicly at professional events, industry forums, and universities on global business transformation, and the impact of technology on global business practices. He also advises/mentors and presents to university students on these same topics worldwide and is a member of the University of North Texas, College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board.

Prior to joining Cisco, Bob was a Vice President of IBM Global Services and Senior Partner at BearingPoint management consultancy where he was responsible for transforming client businesses and government institutions worldwide, and building and growing the worldwide Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management and IT Consulting Practices. He is known for his international experience, success in transforming client business units worldwide, ability to build and lead consulting and IT services businesses, and his motivational leadership style.

Articles

March 2, 2016

MANUFACTURING

5 Cybersecurity conversations you aren’t having

4 min read

In a recent meeting I saw this meme posted in a cubicle: How appropriate for a discussion on business executive moments of enlightenment. I have the opportunity to lead a line-of-business senior executive advisory board with members from the top manufacturing companies across the world. Our recent board meeting focused on digitization in manufacturing where […]

May 7, 2013

MANUFACTURING

Business Agility in the Evolving Workforce

4 min read

Eighty-Five percent of companies with global supply chains experienced at least one supply chain disruption in the previous 12 months.1 Risk is inherently unpredictable. Fortunately, the current workforce is undergoing its own transformation to be able to identify and manage risk on a global basis. For more than 35 years I have worked with companies […]

December 4, 2012

MANUFACTURING

Manufacturing’s Evolving Workforce

2 min read

The United States continues to be the world’s largest manufacturing economy, employing nearly 17 million people – about 1 in 6 private sector jobs. However,  the modern manufacturing industry is struggling to attract the highly skilled workers it needs  for the tech-savvy, evolving role required in today’s manufacturing operations. Historically, manufacturing jobs were thought of […]