Samir Kumar Mishra to Lead Enterprise Business at Cisco India & SAARC

Samir Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the Managing Director – Enterprise at Cisco India & SAARC, where he will drive the company’s enterprise business into its next phase of transformation, innovation, and growth across the region.

A seasoned leader with over two decades of experience, Mishra has held senior roles in Tata Telecom, Avaya, Zscaler, and Cisco, spanning sales, business development, strategy, operations, and channel leadership. Prior to this role, he successfully led and scaled Cisco’s cybersecurity business in India and SAARC, strengthening its position in the region.

In his recent interactions as when Samir was the Director of Security Business at Cisco India & SAARC, he emphasized the urgent need for AI-powered, unified security platforms to tackle increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Citing Cisco’s research, he noted that while 81% of Indian organizations anticipate cyber disruptions, only 7% are truly prepared, highlighting the critical importance of next-generation defense systems.

Mishra also drew attention to pressing industry challenges, including the cybersecurity talent shortage and the risks posed by “shadow AI”—the unmonitored use of AI tools within enterprises. He advocates for targeted training programs and the integration of advanced AI-driven security tools to bolster resilience.

He has also spoken about the importance of a digital immune system for organizations, one that can safeguard digital workspaces while addressing identity security challenges. Cisco’s Security Cloud Platform, he noted, plays a pivotal role in protecting AI workloads and delivering end-to-end trust in digital operations.

As Cisco continues to innovate in the areas of AI and security, Mishra’s leadership is expected to accelerate the company’s mission of enabling secure, adaptive, and resilient enterprises across India and the SAARC region.