Ben Dawson takes over from Dave West as new Cisco President for APJC

Ben Dawson takes over as the new President for its Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China (APJC) from Dave West who moves to a new role as Senior Vice President, Global Specialists at Cisco.

Cisco has appointed Ben Dawson as the new President for its Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China (APJC) business. Dawson takes over the role from Dave West who moves to a new role as Senior Vice President, Global Specialists at Cisco.

Dawson new role takes effect on July 28^th 2025. Dawson will report to Oliver Tuszik, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Chief Sales Officer. With over two decades at Cisco, Dawson has contributed across range of roles within the enterprise, public sector, commercial, channels, and service provider segments in both the United States and Australia.

Prior to his new role, Dawson led Cisco Australia & New Zealand, where he worked closely with customers and partners to drive digital transformation and accelerate technology adoption. Before moving into the Asia Pacific region, Ben lived in Silicon Valley and led sales for Cisco’s Webscale business with responsibility for managing the global relationship with some of the world’s largest web and cloud companies.

In his new role, Dawson will lead the APJC team in helping customers and partners seize the opportunities of the AI era. The Asia Pacific region in particular has witnessed continued growth in the adoption of emerging technologies, which create both opportunities and challenges for organizations.

With Cisco uniquely positioned to deliver value, innovation, and growth, Dawson will continue to oversee Cisco’s secure networking portfolio and trusted global partnerships, empower customers to thrive in this new era.

For Dawson, it’s an exciting time to take on the leadership of the most diverse and innovative regions. He believes the confluence of AI, cybersecurity and next generation networking presents an extraordinary opportunity for Cisco and partners in the region. Currently based in Melbourne, Dawson will relocate to Cisco's APJC headquarters in Singapore.

“Throughout my career at Cisco, I’ve seen us help organizations navigate major technology transitions, from building the internet, to enabling cloud computing, and now shaping the future with AI. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and has the potential to reshape industries, economies, and societies. I am looking forward to leading our business in this dynamic region and building on our success,” commented Dawson.

Oliver Tuszik, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Chief Sales Officer at Cisco highlighted Dawson’s exceptional track record in driving business success and fostering a strong culture, which Tuszik believes truly sets him apart.

“With his global and regional experience, Ben brings a unique perspective to our team. As ANZ often leads the way in emerging technology adoption, his leadership will be invaluable in accelerating growth across the region as Cisco has unified networking, security, observability, and collaboration to create a true platform advantage for our customers." said Tuszik.

Meanwhile, after more than a decade of advancing strategic influence and leadership in the APJC region, West will now step into the role of Senior Vice President, Global Specialists. In this position, he will lead a global team who are at the forefront of Cisco's business evolution.

“I truly believe APJC is the most incredible region in the world – it is diverse, complex, competitive, beautiful, and innovative. I have built lasting relationships with customers and partners, and of course our team in geo. They are world-class, and I am proud of the things they continue to make possible for Cisco and everyone they reach through the work they do,” commented West in a LinkedIn post.

In his new role, West will leverage his deep understanding of customer needs, Cisco's technology portfolio, and the invaluable insights gained while spearheading Cisco's growth and transformation across the globe. Tuszik also thanked West for his immense contribution to APJC working with Cisco’s customers, partners, and teams.