Welcome - Networkers 2007

Keynotes

Marthin De Beer, Senior Vice President of Cisco's Emerging Markets Technology Group (EMTG), will open the keynote session at Cisco Networkers 2007.

The overall event will be hosted by Phil Smith, Head of Technology & Corporate Marketing, European Markets, Cisco.

On day two, Ray Hammond, Europe's Most Experienced Futurologist will take the stage. We are delighted to have him present at Cisco Networkers.

Marthin De Beer
Senior Vice President, Emerging Markets Technology Group

Marthin De Beer is the Senior Vice President of Cisco's Emerging Markets Technology Group (EMTG). Under his leadership, EMTG is responsible for cultivating a steady stream of new businesses that can drive 1 billion dollars worth of revenue in 5-7 years and take Cisco into new adjacent markets. De Beer most recently led the development of Cisco TelePresence, Digital Media Systems, Linksys One, IP Video Surveillance and Cisco IPICs.

Previously, De Beer was responsible for Cisco's Global Enterprise IP Communications solutions and led the introduction of Cisco's Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data (Cisco AVVID) solution. He played a key role in taking Cisco's IP Communications business across the chasm from inception to a large profitable business.

De Beer has more than 20 years of experience in the communications and software industry. He has been at Cisco for 11 years directing key platforms such as the Cisco Catalyst Switching platforms and Cisco's IP Telephony and VoIP systems.

De Beer was also a founder of two start-up companies and previously held senior marketing and engineering positions at Hughes LAN Systems, Persetel Computer Systems, and Atlas Aircraft.

De Beer holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Phil Smith
Head of Technology & Corporate Marketing, European Markets, Cisco.

Phil Smith is Head of Technology & Corporate Marketing for Cisco's European Markets. In this role he sits on the European board and is responsible for all marketing functions in Europe including technology corporate marketing, PR, analyst relations, market intelligence and segment based marketing. A key focus is the continued growth of Cisco's advanced technologies (a set of new markets and technology areas which Cisco are expanding into) many of which are approaching $1Bn businesses in their own right and are vital to the continued growth and success of Cisco.

Phil's previous role was Managing Director of BT Operations at Cisco Systems. The extremely extensive relationship between Cisco and BT grew significantly under his leadership where he drove sales, channel, and other partnering activities in the UK and world wide.

Phil joined Cisco Systems in 1994 in a technical consulting role, working with some of the company's largest customers, from banks through to service providers. He moved away from consulting to become the first technical director for Cisco in the UK where he was responsible for technical operations. In 1998 Phil was appointed Director of Business Development and Marketing, giving him responsibility for market development, commercial and technical strategy. The role covered a wide range of areas including marketing, partner programs and running emerging technology sales teams, as well as responsibility for areas as diverse as Corporate Social Responsibility, local acquisition and investment and government relations.

Phil has been a frequent public speaker on issues ranging from the Internet and e-business to corporate strategy, and until recently, was a regular spokesperson on the expert panel for the Sunday Times Enterprise Network feature. He is also a member of the Board of the Thames Valley Economic Partnership and a board member of Young Enterprise. With his vast experience in business and technology, Phil's strength lies in being able to humanise technology in order to provide customers with a clear understanding of how technology can improve their business.

Before joining Cisco, Phil spent nine years working in a senior architecture role for IBM, with responsibility for IBM's customer and internal networks. Previous to his role at IBM, he worked for Philips Electronics gaining experience in programming, network support and design and implementation.

Phil is a graduate of Glasgow University and currently lives in Stratford with his wife and four children. In his spare time, Phil enjoys playing the guitar.

Ray Hammond
Europe's Most Experienced Futurologist

Ray Hammond is Europe's most experienced and most widely published futurologist. For over 25 years he has researched, written and spoken about how future trends will affect society and business. He is the author of 15 books which have been translated into 32 languages. He is a visiting lecturer at the City University Business School, London, a Fellow of ACE Lab, University of Nottingham and a Cont. Editor, University of Maryland, USA.

Before becoming a futurologist, Ray founded and led highly successful magazine publishing and advertising businesses in the UK, Europe and the USA before selling them advantageously. He is now a globally published novelist (Macmillan) whose four recent high-tech futuristic novels have won world-wide critical acclaim. His latest book "The Cloud" (published March 2006) is a dazzling vision of life set in the year 2065.

For the last 25 years he has written and spoken about the future.