Looking back on an energizing week at Cisco Live! Melbourne 2025, I am inspired by the human connections that empowered the event. This year's Cisco Live is a testament to the powerful outcomes we create when technology and people come together with a common purpose.
Keynote Highlights: Dynamic demands require a New CX
Cisco Live! Melbourne was one of our standout moments this quarter. Our keynote delivered a clear message on resilience, simplicity, and faster time to value. We unveiled Cisco IQ to customers across the region, giving them a first look at how we are bringing personalized insights, automation, and proactive value into every interaction.
The response was strong, and the feedback was clear that this is the right direction. Customers, Partners and Sales shared how Cisco IQ addresses their needs. Here are some of the comments we heard:
"This is a real differentiator for Cisco. This is really going to simplify everything." (Customer)
"Cisco IQ has the potential to give us time back as a partner to focus on the things that truly matter with our customers." (Cisco Partner)
"When can we get this? It's going to be a big deal for a lot of customers. You have our full support to make IQ successful!" (Sales)
Our vision is simple but bold: to deliver support and services that are personalized, proactive, and predictive, helping you stay ahead, securely and confidently. The segment featuring Rajesh Kumar, CIO of LTI Mindtree, showcased real customer impact and the strength of our partnership.
We discussed LTIMindtree's ambitious digital transformation journey, highlighting how Cisco's integrated approach unifying networking, security, and collaboration for 80,000 employees across 700 locations, was essential. Rajesh shared how Cisco CX and innovations like ThousandEyes and Webex enabled greater resiliency, simplicity, and proactive problem-solving, significantly improving user experience and IT efficiency.
Taking on Centre Stage and the World of Solutions
At Centre Stage, the AI advantage was clearly presented by Sandeep Milar and Bhaskar Jayakrishnan in the session, "The A.I. Advantage: Redefining Services."
This year's World of Solutions was the most interactive yet, with the Cisco Stand and our Cisco Customer Experience area buzzing with energy. Attendees experienced ten dynamic demos, from digital resilience with ThousandEyes and Cisco XDR to future-proofed workplaces and AI-ready data centers. The TAC Stand was a hub for deep-dive technical discussions, with clinics and 18 mini-presentations covering everything from Wi-Fi 7 to multi-cloud security. An inaugural feature, the CX Connections Lounge, provided a space for tailored conversations, exclusive meetings, and interactive discussions with CX experts.
Learning, Networking, and Celebration
Beyond the sessions, the true spirit of Cisco Live was felt in every conversation.
Day two kicked off with the CIO Roundtable Breakfast, where AI-driven change was acknowledged, along with the importance of resilient, people-centric leadership and focused technology adoption. Cisco's approach to building digital resilience with Agentic AI and Cisco IQ focused on delivering value. The conversation encouraged CIOs to balance innovation and human connection.
I met with the Cisco Networking Academy ANZ Dream Team and shared about my experiences, their careers, the need to remain curious, and how to nurture their networks. Likewise, remaining adaptable and alert to opportunities in AI, cybersecurity, and the cloud remain fundamental. We ended the session with questions and celebratory photos.
At the Pride Event, I had an insightful interview with Olympic gold medallist Daniel Kowalski about his journey. We explored inclusion, allyship, and supporting others -drawing parallels between Daniel's experiences and a welcoming, diverse workplace. The session inspired attendees to champion authenticity, celebrating Pride alongside Cisco's customers, partners, and staff.
At the IT Leadership panel, we agreed that successful AI transformation centers around people, curiosity, adaptability, and the human touch -alongside technology. Cisco is committed to responsible AI, trust, and transparency. An AI-ready culture empowers teams and keeps customer value central.
Finally, the "Catch a Wave with Cisco Customer Experience" virtual surfboard with the Big Wave Sweepstakes, added an extra spark of excitement for all!
Transforming Cisco Customer Experience with AI and Human Expertise
To every customer, partner, and Cisco team member, let us keep the conversation going.
Do explore replays and highlights from Cisco Live Melbourne 2025 in the Cisco Live On-Demand Library.
See you at the next Cisco Live!
I would love to hear your favorite moments-leave a comment below!