Kerri Lampard ─ high-impact leader with experience and success across local, regional and global leadership roles.
April 28, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Kerri Lampard
APJC Partner Architecture Sales and Engineering Director
Cisco Systems
Are you looking for a high-impact leader with experience and success across local, regional and global leadership roles? We know the person—Kerri Lampard!
Kerri is currently Cisco Systems’ APJC Architecture Sales and Engineering Director that oversees developing and executing Cisco’s technology strategy, partner go-to-market and enabling sales engineering across its broad partner ecosystem. Kerri describes herself as a connector that bridges people, ideas, and actions to achieve measurable results.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman, Kerri Lampard!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
I have lived and worked in multiple cities in 10 countries across 4 continents, which has been amazing.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
It was honestly too many to keep track of – but let’s just say when I got on United flight and the crew knew and welcomed me by name…
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
Living here is Asia it would be Durian. It might not sound adventurous but if you have ever smelt one you would understand. And no, I did not like it although I understand it is acquired taste.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
When I left North America to move back to Australia, I had to build new relationships and connections, as I had not lived in my home country for more than 12 years. It took a while and a lot of rejection before I found the path forward.
While I have been at Cisco for some time, I have had 9 different roles in that time. When the opportunity was presented to move to Singapore to manage our largest partnership, despite all the potential challenges it posed, I took it and it was one of the best decisions I have made. Take and make opportunities.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
When I was first joining the IT industry, I had a great mentor and leader who took a chance on me. I had a very steep learning curve so it was not what she said but what she did by empowering me and supporting me to be the best I could be. I like to think that is how I lead my teams now.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
Actually, it was advice from my mom when I was a child– treat others as you would like to be treated. Being authentic and true to yourself in how you handle situations whether they are easy or difficult.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
Every year I hire interns. For our team, it provides invaluable insights into reaching this new generation in the workforce. I continue to mentor the interns after they go back to complete university, and I love to see them come back and join Cisco full time.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
One to share would be setting up the Global Partner Services Centre of Excellence, which was amazing to build the plan and the team to think very differently about what we needed to do and how to achieve it. This new function provided the platform with senior leaders to talk about driving change.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
Learning new leadership skills. When teams are spread across the region and unable to connect in person, we need to think differently about how we engage each other, making sure we have some fun rather than just all business calls and ensuring that everyone is cared for while driving the business results.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
I am sure it is the same for many of us – Time! Work is a thing you do and not a place you go. So, with everything being at home, it is harder to find that separation between work and personal.
