Cisco`s local GM in sudden departure

Johannesburg, 26 May 2005

Mokati Ramphele, GM of Cisco Systems sub-Saharan Africa, has left the post he took at the end of June last year.

Ramphele was the first South African to take the reins of the local operation. His appointment was a coup for the multinational`s local empowerment strategy. Cisco said at the time that it illustrated "the group`s commitment to operational leadership and skills transfer for black economic empowerment".

Mark de Simone, Cisco VP for the Middle East and Africa, will take over the running of the sub-Saharan operations, while looking for a suitable new GM to replace Ramphele.

ITWeb could not immediately establish the reason for Ramphele`s sudden departure.

We have learnt that Cisco`s channel director for sub-Saharan Africa, George Atrash, has also left. It is not clear whether the two departures are linked.

ITWeb will have a follow-up report tomorrow (Friday).