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Outgoing Cisco exec chair John Chambers joins Sprinklr board
There is life after the Borg... in social media management platforms apparently
Outgoing Cisco executive chairman John Chambers is to join the board of directors on social media management outfit Sprinklr, no doubt the first of many non-exec roles the former Switchzilla boss will hold.
Earlier this week, Chambers announced he would not stand for re-election to the board of directors in December.
Chambers was at the helm of Cisco during the Borg's boom years in the 1990s and became executive chairman in 2015 after stepping down from his role as CEO for 20 years and handing the reins to Chuck Robbins.
After announcing his departure, Chambers tweeted: "My next chapter is going to be focused on the development of startup companies, nations, & a startup world driving innovation & job creation."
Sprinklr provides apps for companies to place digital ads, schedule social media campaigns, and manage online reviews. The biz is headquartered in New York City and has 1,400 employees across 19 offices. Last year it raised $105m in new funding at a valuation of $1.8bn.
In a canned statement, Chambers said: "Social media is driving a huge market transition, and the only way global businesses will survive is by differentiating on customer experience.
"CMOs who don't want to be part of the 30 per cent or more who will turn over next year already know it – and so do their CEOs."
Chambers has also invested in two drone businesses – Airwaves and Dedrone. ®