Global Supplier Diversity Business Development Expands to South Africa

Cisco is committed to the historic transformation South Africa is currently undergoing, in particular the economic transformation the country aims to achieve through black economic empowerment (BEE). We believe that the economic success of South Africa hinges on the success of BEE.

Global Supplier Diversity Business Development is looking to expand its program offering to South Africa. At the Cisco Live Conference in Johannesburg, we conducted a focus group to further gain valuable feedback from our diverse suppliers. Learn more about Cisco Live at www.cisco.com/networkers.

Our suppliers were given a complimentary one-day VIP pass to our Cisco Live event on December 3, 2008. This gave them the opportunity to meet with exhibitors at the World of Solutions; listen to a keynote presentation by Peter Ford, director of the Internet Business Solutions Group; attend a Networkers technical session; and provide us valuable feedback at our focus group.

“This was an opportunity for our suppliers to attend Cisco Live and learn more about our Global Supplier Diversity Business Development offerings. The focus group was an important learning experience for us to understand our suppliers’ business needs and how we can localize our programs in different countries,” said Denise Coley, director of Global Supplier Diversity Business Development, who conducted the focus group.

Our customers told us that mentoring and business development were their top business priorities. The collaborative feedback we received will be instrumental in helping us enhance this program at our 2009 Cisco Live event in South Africa.

Learn more about Cisco's Executive Mentor Protégé Program and The UCLA Management Development Entrepreneur Program.