Cisco

Since 2015, leadership has pivoted Cisco toward software, subscriptions, and security while maintaining cash discipline.

The CFO transition in July 2025 to Mark Patterson coincided with strong execution and raised guidance into FY26. Management’s product cadence in AI networking and the integration of Splunk, Hypershield, and eBPF (Isovalent) suggest an effective roadmap.

Execution risk persists in melding cultures and go-to-market motions, but the track record through supply-chain stresses and the Splunk integration is encouraging.