Irving Tan

As Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations, Irving Tan is responsible for the development and implementation of Cisco's operating strategy, targeting growth through productivity improvements and innovation across all core business functions, including sales, engineering, supply chain, and services. One of Tan's top priorities is leading Cisco's transformation into an end-to-end digital company, accelerating the value the business brings to customers, partners, and employees. Tan was promoted to the role of Chief of Operations in January 2018 and has been with Cisco for more than 11 years. He is known as an exceptional leader with deep expertise in sales and global operations, market transitions, and customer dynamics. His focus on people is evidenced by his track record leading high-performing teams that achieve sustained results. Prior to his current role, Tan was the leader of Cisco Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), where he grew the sales business consistently over his four-year tenure and advanced APJ's position as one of the most trusted IT partners and providers in the region. Previous roles include leader of Cisco ASEAN, leader of Cisco Singapore and Brunei, and senior manager in both Enterprise Sales Operations and Managed Services. Before joining Cisco, Tan was a principal at A.T. Kearney, a management consultancy specializing in mergers and acquisitions and merger integration in IT and communications. He also worked at Hewlett-Packard as business-unit leader for the APJ Communications and Media Solutions Group. Tan sits on the Board of Directors of Stanley Black & Decker, and he has served as an advisor to governments and industry partners on how to use technology to innovate and transform. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in business administration from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, as well as an honorary doctoral degree in engineering from Curtin University.