Alex Pujols is CTO and Vice President of Solutions Engineering in Cisco's Global Partner Sales organization, where he sets technology strategy and leads co-innovation across an ecosystem responsible for nearly 90% of Cisco's $57 billion in annual revenue. At a moment when AI is redefining what technology can do, his Global Partner Engineering team plays a critical role in helping partners convert Cisco innovation into customer-ready solutions and measurable business outcomes. Alex has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, pairing deep technical expertise with a pragmatic, common-sense approach to building high-performance engineering organizations that align technical strategy with partner and customer success. He has founded global initiatives that accelerate technology innovation and adoption across Cisco's global ecosystem. His leadership is grounded in a simple conviction: innovation only matters when it can be understood, trusted, adopted, and delivered at scale. A researcher as well as an operator, Alex holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from National University, where his work explored emergence within quantum neuromorphic systems. He is a senior member of the IEEE and ACM and a recognized voice on ethical AI, open-source software, and responsible innovation. He speaks regularly at industry and academic events, serves as a strategic advisor and guest lecturer to multiple science and engineering colleges, and mentors founders of early-stage AI startups as they build and scale their businesses. A Texas native, Alex lives in the Greater Houston area with his family and enjoys hunting and fishing in the great outdoors.