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Charles H. Robbins

Chair and Chief Executive Officer at CISCO SYSTEMS
Board
Since July 2015
Age
58 years
Education
Earned a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tenure
Joined CSCO in December 1997 and advanced through various leadership roles, serving as Vice President, then as Senior Vice President in several capacities, before becoming CEO in July 2015 and Board Chair in December 2017.

Also at CISCO SYSTEMS

DLS
Deborah L. Stahlkopf
EVP and Chief Legal Officer
RSH
R. Scott Herren
Executive Vice President and CFO
TS
Thimaya Subaiya
EVP of Operations

About

Charles H. Robbins is the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Cisco Systems, Inc. and at 58 years old, he brings a wealth of experience and visionary leadership to the technology industry.

He began his journey at CSCO in December 1997, rapidly ascending through a series of managerial and executive roles. His career milestones include a promotion to Vice President in March 2002, followed by several key Senior Vice President positions that underscored his pivotal role in Cisco’s sales and operational strategies. His appointment as CEO in July 2015 and later as Chair in December 2017 have been critical in guiding the company’s strategic direction.

Beyond his responsibilities at Cisco, Robbins serves on the Board of Directors for BlackRock, Inc. since 2017, highlighting his broader influence in corporate governance and industry innovation. His leadership style and strategic insights continue to drive transformational changes at Cisco, making him a central figure in the company’s enduring success.

$CSCO Performance Under Charles H. Robbins

Past Roles

OrganizationRoleDate RangeDetails
Cisco Systems, Inc. Senior Vice President, Worldwide Field Operations October 2012 - July 2015 Managed global sales and partner teams
Cisco Systems, Inc. Senior Vice President, Americas July 2011 - October 2012 Led operations across the Americas
Cisco Systems, Inc. Senior Vice President, U.S. Enterprise, Commercial, and Canada August 2009 - July 2011 Expanded responsibilities to include U.S. enterprise and Canada
Cisco Systems, Inc. Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial December 2007 - August 2009 Oversaw U.S. commercial operations
Cisco Systems, Inc. Vice President, Canada Channel Sales Organization July 2005 - December 2007 Assumed leadership of Canada channel sales organization
Cisco Systems, Inc. Vice President, U.S. Channel Sales Organization March 2002 - July 2005 Led U.S. channel sales organization
Cisco Systems, Inc. Managerial Positions in Cisco's Sales Organization December 1997 - March 2002 Held various managerial roles within Cisco's sales organization

External Roles

OrganizationRoleDate RangeDetails
BlackRock, Inc. Board Member Since 2017 Current active board position

Fixed Compensation

Data from  FY 2024
Component NameAmountPayment ScheduleAdditional Details
Base Salary$1,390,000Annual (Fiscal 2024)Base Salary as fixed annual pay
Matching Contributions under Deferred Compensation Plan$51,975Annual (Fiscal 2024)Matching contributions made under the deferred compensation plan
Matching Contributions under 401(k) Plan$15,525Annual (Fiscal 2024)Matching contributions made under the 401(k) plan
Other Fixed Compensation (Perquisites and Personal Benefits)$14,934Annual (Fiscal 2024)Includes de minimis catering, spouse attendance expenses, and security-related costs

Performance Compensation

Data from  FY 2024

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation (EIP Payment)

MetricValueDescription
Base Salary$1,390,000 Used as the multiplier for calculating the EIP payment
Target Award Percentage260% Indicates the total incentive is 260% of the base salary
Company Performance Factor (CPF) Weight90% CPF based on revenue and operating income; operating income weighted 4-to-1 relative to revenue
ESG Factor Weight10% Reflects environmental, social, and governance initiatives impacts
Threshold CPF0.0 Minimum performance level for any payout
Target CPF1.0 Expected performance level
Maximum CPF2.0 Maximum performance level cap
Actual CPF (2024)0.56 Achieved Company Performance Factor in fiscal 2024
Actual ESG Factor (2024)1.48 Achieved ESG Factor in fiscal 2024
EIP Payment$2,356,328 Calculated as: Base Salary x Target Award Percentage x (CPF x 90% + ESG Factor x 10%)
Evaluation PeriodFiscal 2024 Performance assessed over the fiscal year 2024
Vesting ScheduleN/ACash incentive; not subject to vesting

Interviews

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on the AI revolution, and importance of EQ thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on the AI revolution, and importance of EQ

LinkedIn News
12:36 min
Feb 6, 2025
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on impact of tariffs, AI innovation and future of DEI thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on impact of tariffs, AI innovation and future of DEI

CNBC Television
6:31 min
Jan 22, 2025
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on Q4 results, company layoffs and AI impact thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on Q4 results, company layoffs and AI impact

CNBC Television
6:31 min
Aug 15, 2024
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sit down with Jim Cramer thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sit down with Jim Cramer

CNBC Television
10:54 min
Mar 21, 2025
Cisco CEO 'hopeful' tariffs will pile on pressure for trade resolutions thumbnail

Cisco CEO 'hopeful' tariffs will pile on pressure for trade resolutions

CNBC International Live
2:44 min
Mar 4, 2025
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on the state of the tax talks on the Hill thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on the state of the tax talks on the Hill

Punchbowl News
1:08 min
Mar 11, 2025
Every first call is going to be taken by an AI agent, says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins thumbnail

Every first call is going to be taken by an AI agent, says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins

CNBC Television
8:48 min
Jun 5, 2024
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins: $28 billion Splunk deal will be a significant financial growth driver thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins: $28 billion Splunk deal will be a significant financial growth driver

CNBC Television
8:27 min
Mar 18, 2024
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins: Everybody believes we're much further along with AI than we really are thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins: Everybody believes we're much further along with AI than we really are

CNBC Television
5:32 min
Jan 17, 2024
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on Splunk acquisition: Deal will add $4 billion in annual recurring revenue thumbnail

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on Splunk acquisition: Deal will add $4 billion in annual recurring revenue

CNBC Television
7:21 min
Sep 21, 2023
Cisco CEO: Business community 'upbeat' about incoming administration thumbnail

Cisco CEO: Business community 'upbeat' about incoming administration

CNBC Television
3:35 min
Dec 12, 2024
Axios’ Dan Primack in conversation with Cisco’s Chuck Robbins thumbnail

Axios’ Dan Primack in conversation with Cisco’s Chuck Robbins

Axios
19:25 min
Jan 23, 2025
Principals Live with Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins | Semafor thumbnail

Principals Live with Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins | Semafor

Semafor Events
42:46 min
Jun 13, 2023
The administration wants to protect our lead, they want us to win, says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins thumbnail

The administration wants to protect our lead, they want us to win, says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins

CNBC Television
2:57 min
Mar 21, 2025