Title: Head of Product Marketing and Go-To-Market for Cisco Provider Mobility
Company: Cisco Systems Inc.
Location: Fremont, California, United States
Vidya Sawhny, MA, Head of Product Marketing and Go-To-Market (GTM) for Cisco Provider Mobility at Cisco Systems Inc. She has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for her leadership, dedication and achievements in technology, marketing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Born and raised in Kolkata, India, Ms. Sawhny has built a career foundation of more than 20 years in marketing and communications, with expertise and leadership in the technology space spanning multiple disciplines. Prior to moving to the United States, she began her professional journey in corporate communications at i-flex Solutions in 2003, after which she earned her first Master of Arts in marketing and communications. From 2004 to 2006, Ms. Sawhny held the position of senior public relations (PR) Manager at Burson-Marsteller, a multinational PR consultancy. In this role, she gained international experience collaborating with Fortune 500 companies and strategizing global media campaigns and launches that contributed to $7 million in revenue growth— a very pivotal time, as India was then a nascent economy only beginning to open its borders to foreign brands.
Education and continuous learning have always been central to Ms. Sawhny’s trajectory. Determined to further her international exposure, she then pursued a second master’s degree at Michigan State University in marketing, PR and crisis communications. During this time, she not only received teaching and research assistantships, but also conceptualized and taught a graduate-level course in PR and crisis communications based on Harvard Business Review case studies.
Throughout her career, Ms. Sawhny has deliberately expanded not only her marketing expertise but also her fluency in complex technology domains. Repeatedly, she has been at the forefront of major technology shifts and waves of innovation—from the early stages of cloud computing to today’s AI revolution—shaping the narrative and creating a legacy that continues to serve as a cornerstone of industry advancement.
Ms. Sawhny has climbed the corporate ladder with intention, gaining hands-on, end-to-end marketing experience from PR, analyst relations, messaging and positioning, global launches and customer advisory boards to demand generation campaigns, thought-leadership programs, content development, website and digital creation, corporate and industry events, social media campaigns, and sales training and enablement et al. Beyond marketing, she has developed deep knowledge of AI (machine learning, generative and predictive AI, LLMs, and autonomous systems), cloud technologies (public, private, hybrid clouds), data center technologies (compute, networking, storage), security, containers and CI/CD platforms, automation and observability, mobility, IoT connectivity management, public/ private 5G innovation, and service-provider networking. This combination of multidisciplinary marketing mastery and technology fluency has become a defining strength of her career.
In 2007, Ms. Sawhny moved to the United States with approximately $2,000 to fund her second master’s degree. She struggled, persevered, and achieved both teaching and research assistantships that supported her studies. Her advancement continued as she earned an impressive U.S. National Award—the Ketchum Excellence in PR Research Award—and received a research grant and facilitation at Yale University. She went on to join Ketchum PR in 2008 as a PR research associate.
Subsequently, Ms. Sawhny forayed into the technology sector, serving as worldwide PR manager at Sun Microsystems, where she helped expand the company’s Solaris software business. In 2009, she joined Hewlett-Packard for a more than seven-year tenure, initially as a worldwide PR manager and later as global product marketing and GTM manager. She focused on HP’s cloud and data center technology portfolio, engaging with press, analysts, customers, sales teams, partners, and C-suite executives. Among her accomplishments, she spearheaded HP’s public cloud business— growing corporate mindshare by 60 percent, launched a global cloud-based telecommunications partner program, and drove more than $20 million in revenue growth.
Ms. Sawhny’s trajectory reached new heights in 2017 when she joined Cisco as product marketing and GTM lead for the customer experience (CX) business, covering CX cloud, data center compute and networking. Over nearly nine years, she has expanded her leadership to Cisco’s security, automation, AI and networking portfolio, influencing a $13 billion business. She played a pivotal role in driving more than $30 million in influenced revenue and generating a more than $100 million sales pipeline through global launches, multi-cloud partnerships with Google, Amazon, Microsoft and SAP, persona-based campaigns, and large-scale thought-leadership programs. In 2025, she moved to Cisco’s networking business group where she spearheaded Cisco’s automation portfolio, launched new predictive and preventive AI agents, and introduced multi-agentic frameworks that strengthen Cisco’s leadership in automation and AIOps. Most recently, she has been promoted to lead product marketing and GTM for Cisco’s mobility and AI business. Within a more than $600 million portfolio, she manages high-visibility offerings including Cisco’s Mobility Services Platform, IoT Control Center, AI for Wireless, Public/Private 5G, the Programmable Core and much more. Within just four months, she elevated Cisco’s brand among global service providers, accelerated thought leadership, and driven demand for Cisco’s next-generation Mobility, AI, AI-WIN, Programmable Core and IoT portfolio.
Ms. Sawhny’s excellence has been recognized from the start: from being named Outstanding Graduate Student early in her academic journey to being celebrated as a Marketing Superstar and Innovator at both Hewlett-Packard and Cisco. These accolades reflect sustained impact, vision, strategy, and purposeful leadership across technology and marketing globally.
Central to Ms. Sawhny’s success is a foundation rooted in family. She attributes her resilience and achievements to the unwavering support of her parents, son and sister. Growing up in an empowering environment where education and values were prioritized enabled her to take bold risks, navigate adversity and pursue excellence with confidence. Her spiritual practice is another cornerstone of her life and leadership. A longtime practitioner of meditation and Buddhism, Ms. Sawhny emphasizes mental stability, emotional balance, and intentional living. She is guided by the principle of cause and effect—which reinforces that every action creates a consequence and keeps her mindful in her decisions—and the belief that each individual is responsible for their own happiness and growth. These principles have grounded her through personal and professional challenges, allowing her to lead with wisdom, compassion, and determination.
Prior to embarking upon her professional journey, Ms. Sawhny prepared herself through a strong educational foundation, starting with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and economics from University of Calcutta. In 2004, she obtained a Master of Arts in marketing and management communications from Commits, India. Subsequently, Ms. Sawhny earned a second Master of Arts in marketing, PR and crisis communications from Michigan State University in 2008.
Beyond her professional achievements, Ms. Sawhny is a devoted mother to a 10-year-old son, practicing value-oriented and experiential parenting, introducing him to new and enriching experiences. A sports enthusiast, she plays seven disciplines including tennis, basketball, badminton, swimming, pickleball, chess and ping-pong. She also enjoys traveling, singing, dancing, fine wine, and enjoys playing poker —illustrating her multi-dimensional and experiential approach to life.
Looking ahead, Ms. Sawhny seeks to leverage her experience in marketing and technology to continue being recognized as an innovative, strategic, and global marketer. She is committed to mentoring the next generation, helping them navigate corporate America strategically and plans to rekindle her teaching endeavors at Michigan State University while expanding her academic engagement in California. In an era defined by AI and digital media, she champions preparing the next generation for success and shaping a future where purposeful leadership, empowered youth, and transformative technology drive the world forward.
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