Cisco does the PR shuffle

AIMEE GROVE 24-Jan-00

SAN JOSE: Cisco Systems is once again shuffling its PR deck, looking for five high-level execs to fill one existing position and four new posts.

SAN JOSE: Cisco Systems is once again shuffling its PR deck,

looking for five high-level execs to fill one existing position and four

new posts.

Senior corporate PR manager Doug Wills, whose team has been credited

with steering the company into major mainstream and business media

coverage, is shifting to a to-be-determined marketing position with the

Silicon Valley networking giant. The move, effective mid-February,

leaves the top corporate PR spot beneath director of executive

communications and corporate PR Lorene Arey vacant.

’Even when he joined two years ago, Doug made it very clear that he was

interested in eventually moving into more of a marketing role,’ said

Arey, who is actively seeking a replacement for Wills. ’The ideal person

would be a real heavy-hitter with at least 10 years of big-company

experience, someone who knows how to lead a team even when you hit a

snag.’

Wills joined Cisco in 1997 from Seattle’s RealNetworks. Prior to that,

he worked on the Microsoft account for Waggener Edstrom, helping to

launch Windows 95.

Arey is also looking for another corporate PR manager to focus on west

coast broadcast and print media, a new addition to her existing

10-member team. ’It’s another fairly senior position,’ she said.

Finally, Cisco is seeking to beef up its executive communications team,

which also reports to Arey. With three openings - all additions, not

replacements for departed staffers - this team works directly with the

company’s top corporate officers, managing positioning, content and

messaging for public addresses and interviews.

All five open posts are based out of Cisco’s San Jose headquarters.

Only registered users may comment. Please login to comment.

Subscriptions

Not a subscriber? View PR Week subscription options here.

Already a paid subscriber?

If you have a paid subscription to PRWeek magazine but have not used PRWeek.com before, please click here to activate your subscription.