Cisco today announced that John Chambers will step down as its executive chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins will be the new chairman from December.
The business technology major said John Chambers will not stand for re-election to the board of directors in December.
Cisco will be giving the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus to John Chambers.
Cisco named John Chambers, who served as CEO of Cisco from January 1995 to July 26, 2015, as its executive chairman on July 26, 2015.
John Chambers has focused on supporting Chuck Robbins and engaging with customers and governments through Cisco’s Country Digitization initiatives. John Chambers joined Cisco in 1991 as the head of sales.
During his time as CEO, he built the enterprise technology company from $1.2 billion in annual revenue to nearly $50 billion.
“John’s brilliant mind, compassion and charismatic leadership helped shape Cisco for over 20 years, and for that we are all grateful,” said Chuck Robbins, chief executive officer of Cisco.
Cisco will reduce the size of the Board to eleven members, ten of whom will be independent directors.
During the last two years, Cisco lost several key executives especially after naming Chuck Robbins as the new CEO.
