Cisco is proud to sponsor the Homegrown Innovators category at the ARN Innovation Awards in 2018. Our global strategy, driven by our local team across Australia and New Zealand, includes a strong focus on our partners. And it’s an exciting time for the partner community.

As we know, Australia is in the midst of a major economic, social and political transition driven by global competition, rapidly expanding digital platforms and technological innovation.

Cisco has developed a national engagement strategy to help play our part in supporting Australia’s digital transition and to have a voice in the public policy challenges we face relating to innovation, skills, education and building resilient communities.

With three pillars which frame how we partner and invest to support the digital transformation of Australia, the Innovation Economy, Human Capital and Healthy Communities, we see our role to contribute to growth, locally.

Our partners are key to our business, and we recognise the value they add across the lifecycle of any technology offer. And with changing customer expectations and the market, its forcing us, with our partners, to rethink business models to consider digitisation.

The market is changing at rapid speed and there are some amazing opportunities in front of us, including how we demonstrate our capability to deliver the secure intelligent platform for digital business to our customers.

As a representative of a global company founded outside of Australia, I am proud that we are sponsoring homegrown innovators, as they play a significant role in supporting our great nation’s digital transition.