After 12 years at Cisco Canada, Rick Huijbregts is leaving the company.
For the past year, Huijbregts has acted as the Canadian arm’s digital transformation head where he was in charge of the company’s digital transformation and innovation business development.
“To all of you that made this the most amazing time of my life, and that have given me the experience and confidence to make this bold leap, I say: thank you!” wrote Huijbregts in a blog post announcing his decision.
The long-time Cisco Canada exec got started in the company in 2005 as the company’s director of real estate sales before switching over to help develop smart and connected communities as the general manager of smart and connected communities (and real estate).
Before taking over as the digital transformation head, Huijbregts served as the company’s managing director americas, digitization – internet of everything (IoE) and industry solutions acceleration where he helped with the transition the company began making towards digital transformation.
“We are all very sorry to see Rick go. He’s been such a great ambassador for Cisco Canada and a prime mover of our digitization and innovation story in Canada. He will be much missed!” said a Cisco Canada spokesperson in a statement made to CDN.
Huijbregts’ highlight reel of his time with Cisco Canada showcases the impact he has had on helping the organization embrace the digital future. He led the Cisco Canada charge in helping digitally transform Canada’s healthcare, municipal, energy, finance, real estate, and industrial sectors, helped secure 12 University Research Chairs throughout the process of growing the organizations academic partners, and helped create the Toronto innovation centre just to name a few places of many that Huijbregts impact can be felt throughout Cisco Canada.
“I think this is a ‘goodbye’ and not a ‘farewell’. Thanks to an amazing 12 years, my friendships and connections at Cisco, our partners, customers, industries, and government go deep and wide,” Huijbregts said. “My passion remains with ‘innovation’, ‘disruption’, and ‘transformation’. I am therefore confident that our paths will keep crossing as we together (from wherever we are) continue to contribute to the digitization of Canada and seek to create new opportunities for all Canadians.”