Cenk Kivilcim

Management Executive, Digital Transformation Leader in IT helping customers to get best outcome in their digital journey

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

About

I have vast experience in digital transformation, sales, marketing and business management in ICT sector. I worked over 25 years in reputable companies; Siemens, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, IBM, Kyndryl. I lived in 8 countries in 3 different continents and located in 10 different countries. I engaged business in almost all countries in the world except Americas and Japan. I have managed variety of teams from different ethnic backgrounds sizing from 20+ up to 800+. I have led regions, countries, competence centre, big accounts. I managed large size business as much as >1B USD/year. I have dealt with crisis, recovered loss making markets and business. I have built new and healthy business including consultancy projects. In Alcatel-Lucent, I have achieved highest growth in our Broadband consultancy business. In Cisco, I have engaged municipalities, large manufacturing, financial enterprises…etc. and won consultancy projects (smart city, smart factory…etc). As a result of these successes, I opened 10th Cisco Innovation Centre in Turkey with the idea to build an eco system with start ups and address digital transformation needs of our customers with e2e solution. Relevant articles can be found below and on the web; https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/cisco-opens-innovation-center-in-istanbul-131257 In my current role as Vice President I run multinational account where we provide managed services to world's biggest insurer (market capital wise) for cloud (Azure) and infrastructure on prem data centre, helping them on their digital transformation. We are assessing their critical applications and identifying gaps in technology, organization and people (culture) as part of consultancy project. I believe in team work. Investing in people motivates me. For me, the best team is the one which performs well under stress and in difficult times. To be able to build the best team, you need to create a team spirit where people share common purposes, understand each others’ strengths and weaknesses, and do not hesitate to help each other to cover these weaknesses. I believe in conscious leadership meaning; you know your impact on others. Also, I believe in servant leadership meaning; you are leading and serving your team to let them be at their best. My desire is to invest in people, help them grow in their career. I always tried to leave legacy where everyone remembers not only the business results achieved but how strong teams we have built. My ambition is to become CEO of a unicorn where I can share my experience and help build strong team, culture and business results.

Experience

  • Senior Director Services at GBM
    May 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 2 mos

    Managing entire service business of GBM

  • Management Executive at Freelance
    Apr 2023 - May 2023 · 2 mos

  • Vice President - Strategic Partner at Kyndryl
    Nov 2021 - Apr 2023 · 1 yr 6 mos

    As Strategic Partner responsible for AIA (world’s biggest insurer as per market capitalization) globally, I manage a team of over 400 staff. Manage presales, sales and postsales teams and responsible for end to end P&L. Orders, sales and profit are my KPIs. We serve AIA in 15 countries providing On Prem DC as well as Cloud (Azure) Managed Services

  • Vice President, Infrastructure Services Sales, GTS APAC at IBM
    May 2021 - Nov 2021 · 7 mos

    Working with Clients to deliver value as they transform their business and go through journey of digital transformation. Providing end to end portfolio of services; consultancy, design, implementation, maintenance and managed services in APAC region covering markets like China, Australia, India, Korea, Singapore...

  • Cisco (6 yrs 9 mos)
    • Customer Success Executive
      Mar 2019 - Apr 2021 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      Responsible for worldwide Vodafone and LGI accounts to adapt Cisco technologies and get most benefit out of.

    • General Manager
      Aug 2014 - Mar 2019 · 4 yrs 8 mos

      Managing entire Cisco business