"Some of my proudest moments involve signing merger agreements with high-value targets. The signing is important, of course, but the team effort behind the signing is what makes the moment so rewarding."
What I Do
I’m responsible for all of Cisco’s acquisitions and investments in Hardware with most of my time spent in the areas of Silicon and Optics.
What I’m Passionate About
I have a strong passion for discovering startups that know how to bring real solutions to the market and don’t exist solely as a solution looking for a problem.
You know things are going well when you hear the Finance team say, “Can we write a bigger check?” during an Investment Review Board approval.
My hobbies include long-distance running, reading non-fiction, and wine tasting. More accurately, wine drinking. But that doesn’t sound like a hobby.
There are no bad days when you start the day with a nice long run, and if you own a dog like Molly.
I’m in my happy place when I’m able to invest in and acquire companies for an operating company – a company that builds products and offers services.
Where I’ve Been
I joined the Cisco Investments team in 2011. Before that, I traveled the world as a product manager in optical networking. Companies I worked for in the past include large companies like Lucent Bell Labs and Pirelli and startups such as Photuris, where I was a co-founder.
Where I Learned
I earned my MBA degree from Georgetown University and my BS degree in ceramic (material science) engineering from Rutgers University. Guess which degree people ask me about most often? Hint: It’s the one that focuses on the science and technology of creating objects from materials. But the real learning was from being a hands on product manager for large companies and for a start-up where you wear many hats.
