Extreme Networks has announced the appointment of Monica Kumar as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The decision was made public on December 20, 2023, from the company's headquarters in Morrisville, N.C.
Monica brings to the role an extensive and impressive resume of B2B marketing experience, recognised particularly for her ability to guide substantial growth in companies via notable product differentiation and effective, revenue-enhancing go-to-market strategies. As CMO, Kumar will lead the global marketing organisation and report to the company's President and CEO, Ed Meyercord.
Monica Kumar's impressive portfolio of experience includes in-depth industry and technical expertise in enterprise cloud computing. She is recognised in the industry for her unusual talents in simplifying intricate product and solution portfolios. In her new role, Kumar will continue enhancing Extreme's brand and value proposition via innovative and effective go-to-market initiatives and further deploying new market entry channels via strategic alliances.
Ed Meyercord, Extreme's President and CEO, has complete confidence in Monica's ability to elevate the company's fortunes, describing her as a "perfect combination of a technical and business-savvy marketing leader with a talent for driving impactful initiatives that boost customer acquisition and revenue growth." He feels that Monica's past contributions to transforming the hardware business into successful SaaS businesses that drive recurring revenue will enhance Extreme's leadership position in the cloud networking sector.
Ed Meyercord said, "Extreme has a highly differentiated set of solutions; we've shaken up the status quo of the networking industry, and we're taking share. Monica's track record of transforming hardware businesses to highly successful SaaS businesses that drive recurring revenue will be instrumental as we continue to extend our leadership position in cloud networking."
Monica brings an impressive academic and professional background to Extreme. Before her new appointment, Kumar served as CMO at Hitachi Vantara, where she was instrumental in simplifying the product portfolio and executing a new brand strategy. At Nutanix and Oracle, Kumar played a pivotal role in evolving these companies from traditional hardware to successful software subscription businesses.
Moreover, Monica has demonstrated her commitment to the cause of diversity in the venture capital ecosystem as a founding member of Neythri Futures Fund and actively serves on the board of UPWARD Women and City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley.
Expressing her enthusiasm for her new position, Monica Kumar acknowledged Extreme's significant achievement in the industry by reducing complexity and creating an innovative framework that provides customers with a simple and flexible approach to deploying and managing their networks through the cloud.
Monica believes that there is considerable opportunity to elevate the company's market position further, and the process starts with a deeper focus on customer-centricity and fostering a vibrant partner ecosystem. She looks forward to contributing positively to the company as part of Extreme's customer, partner, and employee-friendly leadership team.