Cisco appointed Martin Lund executive vice president of its Common Hardware Group on March 25, 2024, tasking him with a broad portfolio spanning networking silicon, systems and optics. The appointment was not permanent: on April 27, 2026, CEO Chuck Robbins said Lund had decided to leave Cisco after two years, and the company moved the group into its Product Organization.
Who is Martin Lund?
Lund joined Cisco after senior roles at Microsoft, Metaswitch Networks and Broadcom. In Cisco’s March 25, 2024 announcement, CEO Chuck Robbins said Lund had led Microsoft’s Azure for Operators organization, responsible for Azure-based solutions for public and private 5G, packet core, voice and AI operations. Robbins also identified him as Metaswitch’s CEO before Microsoft acquired the company and said Lund spent 12 years at Broadcom helping build its Network Switching business. Network World additionally reported leadership positions at Cadence Design Systems and Intel.
Robbins described the appointment this way: “Martin Lund, an industry veteran with decades of experience driving innovation and business growth in the networking and semiconductor industries, is joining Cisco as our new Executive Vice President, Common Hardware Group.” Cisco’s appointment announcement set the role’s start date as March 25, 2024.
What did Cisco’s Common Hardware Group do?
The group developed foundational hardware and silicon used across Cisco’s networking businesses. Cisco said its remit included silicon, hardware systems and optics for switching, routing, optical, cable access and IoT portfolios, as well as components and white-box products sold directly to customers. Network World’s report on the appointment described work behind those products, including ASIC, system and board design; circuit-board layout; hardware automation; validation and testing; signal integrity; and power design.
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That breadth helps explain the relevance of Lund’s networking and semiconductor experience: the job involved the underlying engineering and components behind multiple product lines, rather than responsibility for a single networking product. Network World’s report also provides detail on the group’s engineering functions.
How did Lund’s appointment fit into Cisco’s leadership?
Lund reported to Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins. He succeeded Eyal Dagan as head of the Common Hardware Group; Dagan moved to the role of executive vice president, Strategic Projects. Robbins said Dagan had led the group since 2020 and that he and Lund had a 20-year professional relationship.
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Robbins also said that in 2009, Lund, then a senior vice president and general manager of Broadcom’s Network Switching business, helped acquire Dune Networks, which Dagan co-founded. Cisco shared that history but did not say the relationship was the reason Lund was hired.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Martin Lund still work at Cisco?
No. On April 27, 2026, Robbins said Lund had decided to leave Cisco after two years. Cisco also announced that the Common Hardware Group would become part of the Product Organization led by Jeetu Patel. The announcement and reorganization are described in Robbins’s April 2026 remarks.
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Robbins credited the team with introducing new Silicon One chips and driving triple-digit AI growth. Those are Cisco’s retrospective claims about the team’s results; they do not change the reported fact that Lund was leaving or establish that he remains in the role.
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Timeline: appointment and departure
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 25, 2024 | Cisco appointed Lund EVP of the Common Hardware Group, reporting to Robbins. Cisco announcement |
| April 27, 2026 | Robbins said Lund had decided to leave after two years; Cisco moved the Common Hardware Group into Patel’s Product Organization. Robbins’s remarks |
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