Reinventing a Global Ecosystem: Inside Cisco’s Transformation of Its Global Partner Network

Описание: What does transformation look like inside one of the largest technology ecosystems in the world? This episode features Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, SVP Global Partner Program at Cisco.

For decades, Cisco has operated one of the most powerful partner ecosystems in technology — a global network of resellers, integrators, and service providers that helped scale networking infrastructure across the world.

But over time, even successful systems accumulate complexity.

In this episode of Wired for Change, host Amy Yee speaks with Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President of the Cisco Partner Program, about what it takes to transform a decades-old ecosystem without breaking the relationships and trust built over time.

They explore how Cisco approached the redesign of its partner program, including the shift toward customer outcomes, lifecycle value, and managed services — and the leadership challenges of guiding large organizations through change.

This conversation offers practical insights for leaders navigating transformation in complex systems, including how to manage internal alignment, engage stakeholders through co-design, and sustain momentum over multi-year change initiatives.

Topics discussed include:

Why legacy systems eventually require redesign rather than optimization

How Cisco built a “North Star” transformation vision

The role of co-design and partner feedback in large-scale transformation

Managing resistance and identity shifts during organizational change

Lessons for leaders transforming complex ecosystems

Whether you lead a technology ecosystem, a transformation initiative, or a large organization navigating change, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at transformation at global scale.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Transformation at ecosystem scale
01:05 Cisco’s global partner ecosystem
03:00 Why the partner program needed to change
05:00 Optimization vs redesign in mature systems
06:30 Designing the “North Star” for transformation
09:00 Building the transformation team
12:00 Maintaining momentum during multi-year change
15:30 Leading transformation as a change agent
17:30 The three major shifts behind Cisco 360
20:00 Co-designing the new partner ecosystem
22:30 Releasing early versions and gathering feedback
25:00 Measuring partner sentiment during transformation
27:30 The human side of change and resistance
30:00 Identity, roles, and fear in transformation
32:00 Leading change when not everyone agrees
34:00 Designing for agility and future evolution
37:00 Building internal alignment at scale
40:00 Marking milestones and sustaining momentum
42:30 Launching the new partner program
43:30 Final reflections on transformation leadership