We’re thrilled to announce the finalists for the Cisco Customer Achievement Awards EMEA 2026! From nearly 100 nominations submitted across the EMEA region, these outstanding organizations and individuals represent the best-of-the-best in innovation, digital transformation, and technology excellence.
These awards spotlight customers who are pushing boundaries, tackling complex challenges, and reimagining what’s possible with technology. Each finalist has demonstrated exceptional commitment to driving meaningful business outcomes through their partnership with Cisco. At Cisco, we deeply value our customers and are incredibly proud to be their chosen technology partner on their journey toward digital transformation. Their success stories inspire us and demonstrate the profound impact that strategic technology adoption can have.
Join us in congratulating these outstanding finalists who exemplify excellence across various critical domains.
The Cisco Customer Achievement Awards recognize and celebrate our most loyal and engaged customers for their recent technology implementations and adoption to tackle common industry challenges. Here are the categories and what they represent:
AI-Readiness
The AI Infrastructure Innovator Award celebrates organizations that have modernized their IT infrastructure to enable scalable, secure, and high-performance environments. This category honors customers who have undertaken transformational upgrades to their data centers, networks, and systems, preparing their organizations for the demands of AI workloads and future growth.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Trivium Packaging
- Oman Data Park
- Reist Telecom
The AI Operations Pioneer Award showcases organizations that have implemented Cisco technologies to drive transformative operational improvements. This category highlights customers who have used innovative approaches to enhance efficiency, security, and scalability, overcoming challenges and delivering measurable results that redefine their day-to-day operations.
One exemplary customer has been determined to receive this award. Stay tuned until the Awards Ceremony at Cisco Live 2026 Amsterdam to find out!
The CX AI Trailblazer Award highlights organizations that have leveraged Cisco Customer Experience (CX) services to achieve exceptional results. This distinction celebrates customers who have partnered with Cisco’s CX teams to successfully implement innovative solutions, navigate complexity, and deliver meaningful outcomes with measurable business impact.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Egypt MCIT Applied Innovation Center
- Banque Misr S.A.E.
- Informationstechnikzentrum Bund (ITZBund)
Future-Proofed Workplaces
The Hybrid Work Hero Award shines light on organizations that have transformed their workplaces into engaging and productive environments for users and employees, leveraging Cisco technologies to create seamless experiences through immersive collaboration and hybrid work solutions.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- National Trust
- Haufe Group
- Tripadvisor
- BBVA
- Crédit Agricole
The Modernized Infrastructure Maestro Award distinguishes organizations that skillfully modernized and secured their network infrastructure using Cisco solutions, achieving exceptional performance, scalability, and threat protection to drive business success.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Mitchells & Butlers
- Milton Keynes University Hospital
- SATORP
- Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt (University Hospital Frankfurt)
- Mercy Ships
The CX-Powered Workplace Innovator Award recognizes organizations maximizing Cisco investment value through strategic CX services, achieving outstanding results in technology adoption, performance, and business outcomes to thrive in the evolving world of work.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing (DVLA)
- The American University in Cairo
- PHILIPS
- Education Authority NI
- CEER Motors
Digital Resilience
The Cybersecurity Defender Award elevates organizations that excel in using Cisco’s security solutions to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to threats, ensuring comprehensive protection across their operations.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Menarini Group
- Nova Digital
- Universitätsklinikum Tübingen (University Hospital Tübingen)
- Saudi Telecom Company
- Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)
The Assurance Avenger Award recognizes organizations that achieve seamless end-to-end connectivity using Cisco’s assurance solutions, ensuring reliable application delivery and optimized network performance.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Nestlé S.A.
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
- Helsana Insurance Company Ltd
- National Grid plc
- NatWest Group
The Observability Visionary Award celebrates organizations using Cisco’s observability tools to prevent downtime and enhance user experiences, ensuring operational excellence and service reliability.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- HSBC
- Specsavers Optical Group Ltd
- Banque Misr S.A.E.
The CX Resilience Ranger Award spotlights organizations that demonstrate outstanding success in achieving digital resilience by strategically leveraging Cisco Customer Experience (CX) services.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- BBVA
- The American University in Cairo
- INTESA SANPAOLO SpA
- Lloyds Banking Group plc
Sustainability Changemaker
The Sustainability Changemaker Award honors organizations using Cisco’s innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact and drive sustainability forward. From energy-smart buildings and efficient data centers to embracing circular design and low-carbon economies, these changemakers are paving the way toward a greener future. Celebrate those leading the charge in energy management, clean energy adoption, and sustainable innovation!
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Arelion
- Colt
- Boygeus Telecom
- National Trust
- Tripadvisor
- Crédit Agricole
CX Customer Hero of the Year
The CX Customer Hero of the Year Award is a prestigious recognition presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and initiative in leveraging Cisco’s Customer Experience services within their organization. This award celebrates those who have not only embraced Cisco’s technologies but have also effectively harnessed CX services to drive significant technological advancements and measurable outcomes within their organization.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Sebastian Lehminger – Aumovio
- Carlo Lattante – Mediaset
- Frank Liney – Network Rail
- Giorgio Roberto – INTESA SANPAOLO SpA
- Alejandra Jaimes Jiminez – PHILIPS
Cisco Insider of the Year
The Cisco Insider of the Year Award celebrates the customer (an individual) who has made the most significant impact on the Cisco Insider community and will be nominated by the Cisco team. This standout individual has consistently contributed to the greater Cisco Insider communities and has supported other customers through activities such as mentorship, community building, exchanging best practices, and advocating with Cisco through speaking engagements and case studies. Join us in celebrating the amazing journey and awesome impact this individual has had on the Cisco Insider community and beyond!
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Julian Bendix – NTS Netzwerk Telekom Service AG
- Gert-Jan de Boer – aaZoo B.V.
- Orkun Kenber – NXP Semiconductors
- Marco Hirschmann – 2Ring / Hirschmann CX Consultancy
- Zoë Rose – Canon Europa N.V.
What’s Next?
We extend our sincerest congratulations to all the finalists! Your dedication to innovation and your trust in Cisco is truly inspiring. Our panel of judges is now evaluating the finalists, and we’ll be announcing the winners during Cisco Live 2026 Amsterdam. If you’ll be attending, we invite you to join us for the Awards Ceremony where we’ll celebrate your remarkable achievements together.
Your vision, partnership, and commitment to transforming your industries continue to inspire us every day!
