Cisco senior VP sees dramatic changes in IT to boost productivity

Duncan Mitchell, senior vice president of Cisco Systems, Inc., said that “Internet of Everything” (IoE) will be a catalyst for change in creating new talent and skills opportunities.
In an exclusive interview on the opening of Cisco Connect 2013 Saudi Arabia, Mitchell described IoE as the emerging theater on the IT front and is set to mark the next chapter for Cisco in the Kingdom.
He said the thrust of Cisco’s new initiative was to bring about the convergence of talent and technology. Such a strategy could be used in promoting health care and education for empowering Saudi youths and creating job opportunities in the Kingdom. These elements, in combination with other factors, could boost productivity and drive GDP growth.
Mitchell said Cisco has been associated with these modern tools of technology for a long time.
“We see multi-media technology as a game changer. Thanks to this innovation, we are now seeing experts in the classroom from a distance on the video,” he said.
He added: “I can also join any Cisco teleconference from my Tablet when I am in the office.”
This technology could also be deployed for the benefit of Saudi students in far-flung areas having access to technological resources. This would be an example of leveraging the Kingdom’s oil wealth for the development of human resources through Cisco Connect.
Mitchell said that besides its use in the class room and hospitals, the new technology could help the media gain a competitive edge in the market.
“For example, I read the ‘Economist’ on my i-Pad because I subscribe to that service,” he said.
He pointed out that high technology has enabled the people to cross the barrier of time and distance. They will not miss news telecast on the TV channel or due to delay in the newspaper delivery.
“The news is just a click away wherever you are, thanks to the laptop or i-Pad,” he said.
Asked whether the social networking media, such as Facebook, Twitter and video communication “Skype,” would affect Cisco’s business, Mitchell replied that “social networking is very powerful movement that allows people around the world to remain connected with their families and friends. I think they are very powerful networks where you are able to make research and collaborate on information in a way it never happened before.”
He noted that, “much of the social media now is video-based and they need to have a large data base for the network connection. And of course, Cisco is very powerful tools provider of these services. Now we have our own social network within Cisco.”
Spelling out the other advantages of having manpower as an interconnected community, the Cisco executive said, “Internet and connectivity would mean strengthening the manpower base and creating more jobs across a large area by relying on high technology. Women can telecommute without coming to office, while men can do the same from remote areas.”
This new technology will have far-reaching implications. “I think economy around the world will change. Naturally, each economy will become more productive and competitive, because the net has created the global market. We are veering toward a knowledge-based economy. So education will be very important, as we will develop well- educated workforce capable of harnessing their potential to remain competitive on the global stage,” he added.
This will mark a paradigm shift requiring more highly skilled jobs in knowledge-based sectors, while others will have to be re-trained to become more productive at the work place, Mitchell observed.
Speaking on his part, Cisco’s Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, Tarig Enaya, told Arab News that it represents a continued focus on ICT skills and talent development in the form of Saudi Cisco Talent Incubation Hub Caters for the MEA region.
He said Cisco believes this is just the beginning as 99 percent of things in the physical world are still unconnected, ready to be woken up.
“Business leaders in Saudi today want partners who can guide them through change and shape their organizations for the future. They’re asking: how can all this connectivity help me grow my business, deliver better services and experiences, and open up new possibilities? The Internet of Everything will transform the way we live, work, and play and learn, and Cisco is right at the center,” said Enaya.
Already, the Internet has benefited many individuals, businesses and countries by improving education through the democratization of information, allowing for economic growth through electronic commerce, and accelerating.