TRAILBLAZER
Zarina Pasalic
Overcoming hardship to become an inspirational role model
We talk to Zarina Pasalic of Cisco about her pivotal role in growing the company and being a visible example of women ’ s varied opportunities in tech
Influential and results-oriented leader Zarina Pasalic heads up Cisco ’ s Digital Experience ( DX ) team for Europe , the Middle East , and Africa . Together , Pasalic and her team ensure that customers and partners receive end-to-end connected , guided , fully automated , and hyper-personalised customer experiences . Every interaction has to be optimised to drive the desired customer outcomes across the Cisco business , products and customer lifecycle .
“ I love the pace of change in tech . We ’ re building the future while making today better . What ’ s not to like ? Soon , everything that can be digitised will be digitised . With the emergence of smarter devices , quantum computing , AI , and datafication to name just a few , how we work , live and play is being transformed . Technology powers everything ,” says Pasalic .
16
Years at Cisco
“ The talented men and women working in technology today are as crucial as the stonecutters and carpenters envisioning cathedrals in the Middle Ages . Extraordinary skills are needed to build and secure the next wave of innovation and growth ,” she continues .
With this passion , Pasalic plays a pivotal role in this ambitious growth initiative and has been responsible for re-tooling processes to allow for mutually beneficial customer and partner relationships . The key has been ensuring user-friendly subscription sign ups and automated renewals , taking the friction out of these traditionally admin-heavy activities .
In her role , Pasalic has ensured that Cisco has market-leading expertise in customer success , instigating close teamwork between sales , the IT channel and marketing to boost subscription-based revenues .
“ I ’ m incredibly proud to work here , and that ’ s partly because the whole ethos of the company is innovative – right from the products we create to the way we do our work , through to how Cisco supports its people to lead better lives , both at work and at home . At Cisco , each person brings their unique talents to work as a team and make a difference ,” she explains .
Adding to this , Pasalic notes : “ Yes , our technology changes the way the world works , lives , plays and learns , but our edge comes from our people . In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ), Cisco has a strong culture of giving back to the Community . The company genuinely
18 October 2022