Cisco is glad Portugal finally showcases its potential
Sofia Tenreiro, head of Cisco Portugal, reacted to the news that she will have a new neighbor in Oeiras: Google. "We are glad to see other companies doing what we have been doing for ten years".
Cisco Portugal will have a new neighbor this year: Google will have a technological hub in Lagoas Park, Oeiras. As a reaction to the news, the multinational general manager in Portugal, Sofia Tenreiro, stated: “We are glad to see other companies doing what we have been doing for ten years”. The leader of Cisco in the Portuguese market recalled that over a decade ago, “Cisco chose Portugal to invest in an operations center”, where it currently employs between 350 and 400 “qualified people”, she stated. Microsoft Portugal had also left a similar note.
“We are glad to see Portugal is going through a terrific moment. We are finally showcasing Portugal’s potential”, Sofia Tenreiro told ECO, in Barcelona, as a way to justify tech companies’ entry in Portugal, such as Google and Amazon. The latter is said to be coming to Oporto, where it is to have operations related to their cloud service.
We have been having several internal conversations [to expand Cisco in Portugal]. Bottom line, it is all about the country’s performance.
Cisco might be considering expanding its operations in Portugal, stated Edwin Paalvast, Cisco’s CEO for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia. He did not disclose any further details, but merely stated it “depends” on the company’s results: “It depends on how good our business is”, he told ECO, in Barcelona.
When confronted with the possibility of expanding in Portugal, Sofia Tenreiro acknowledged there have been “internal conversations”. “The Portuguese have a conquering spirit and we always want more. We have been able to conquer different teams in Portugal. And our ambition is to have more. We have been having several internal conversations, such as Edwin [Palvaast] mentioned and, bottom line, it is all about the country’s performance and all about our ability to implement innovative projects in Portugal”, she stated.
