Cisco Product Organization Restructuring Puts Jeetu Patel in Charge
Cisco is making a significant leadership move. CEO Chuck Robbins announced that after two years leading the Common Hardware Group, Martin Lund has decided to leave Cisco and return to the CEO role at an early-stage AI startup.
As a result, Cisco is restructuring. The Common Hardware Group will now join the Product Organization, led by Jeetu Patel. The Cisco product organization restructuring is designed to tighten alignment across the portfolio and speed up delivery of solutions for the AI era.
Robbins explained that full-stack innovation remains central to Cisco’s identity. The ability to drive innovation from silicon all the way to the application is foundational to both Cisco’s future and its customers’ success. Handing that responsibility to Patel, he said, was a natural step.
Patel’s creative vision and commitment to speed make him the right leader for this expanded role, Robbins noted. The restructuring therefore puts one of Cisco’s most visible executives directly in control of both hardware and product strategy.
Lund’s exit comes after a strong two-year run. Under his leadership, Cisco introduced new Silicon One chips, drove triple-digit AI growth, ramped its business in client optics and new hardware systems, and cemented its position in AI networking. That track record has set a high bar for what comes next.
Robbins described the moment as part of a once-in-a-lifetime technology revolution. He said he is optimistic about what Patel and the expanded team will achieve. The Cisco product organization restructuring comes as the company intensifies its focus on AI-era infrastructure and customer outcomes.
