Being in C-SUITE is a high-pressure function with long hours, panel responsibilities, and intense auditing. But how does it seem to be a better executive official when you are outside the hour?

wealthSeries, The Good Life, shows how new leaders spend their time and money out of work.

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Today, we meet CISCO CEO of the United Kingdom, Sarah Walker.

The 45 -year -old Fortune 500 president started in the world of work in her local sports center, manually created bowling pins at only 11 years.

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Cisco on Fortune 500

She says early job experience has taught her, “a lot of skills that I will use later in my career in future sales, such as maintaining self -work and an institution to maintain fun and fruitful things.”

Unlike new ambitious recruits today – Z jump Two years and three monthsOn average- during the bowling period, Walker had only employers.

But you will be a fool to believe that this means that her career was stagnant in any way.

In 1997, Walker joined the British British communications giant of 18 billion pounds (24 billion dollars), where it was Its 25 years scaling, From the sales team to the director of companies and the public sector.

Promotion after promotion, I received many internal “Club Club Awards” – the knowledge that came with the luxury bonus trips. One of the most unforgettable? Once a long time to Cannes and Monako with her mother.

“An enjoyable fact? Almost every Internet connection in the UK touches CISCO. From NHS to the Police Force to FTSE 100, we help keep things in contact and safe.”

Sarah Walker

After mini Small retirementThen I joined Cisco As the Managing Director in 2022, only two years later, she was promoted to the highest work as CISCO UK and Ireland-and it is now directing the technology giant through the rapid corridor of digital transformation, with customers who range from retailers in high streets to international banks.

“An enjoyable fact? Almost every Internet connection in the UK touches Cisco. From NHS to the Police Force to FTSE 100, we help keep things connected and safe,” she added. “I am very excited to keep the momentum.”

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Financial affairs

luck:What is the best investment you bought ever?

You have always been completely reasonable with money. I had a relatively comfortable education, which, while we did not want anything, learned valuable budget lessons and setting the priorities of what is important. In the eighteen, I took the landing and got the first real estate mortgage – I felt as if it were the smart step at that time.

The property was 45,000 pounds, which felt like a large number of a day. He put me firmly on the real estate ladder early, and I am very grateful to him.

And the worst?

Ah, cars when you were younger! The alloys were on each other than the same car.

If you have children, what should you doEs Are your child care arrangements?

Two older than older-one to university, and the other is 15 years old, has a part-time part-time in the post-school club. These feverish children’s care are (fortunately) behind me, although I still remember success clearly!

“In the eighteen, I took diving and got the first real estate mortgage – I felt as if it were the smart step at that time.”

What are your living arrangements such as: the luxury apartment in the city or the sprawling suburbs?

I am lucky because I live in my home forever, a Victorian house that was restored in Wirral. I would like to be able to go home and spend time on the coast after a busy week of travel. This means that I have my family and friends on the doorstep. Technically, I am 30 seconds from the office, where I work primarily from home when not traveling. The nearest Cisco office is about 50 miles, and it is about 200 miles to our office in London. All of my high command team is outside London, so we meet all over the UK

How to move to work?

In most days, it’s just walking on the stairs to a home office! But when I visit clients or partners, I am everything about me. Aircraft, trains, cars, called what you want. However, I love a good wild trip.

Do you carry a portfolio?

I have a wallet for every occasion to match my bags, although the Apple Pay these days are my going.

What is the personal financial advice that you will give to your 20 -year -old self?

Keep doing what you are doing, but do not waste much of garbage cars!

What is the only subscription that you cannot live without?

Amazon Prime. It is not only the delivery operations-I have received many automatic renewable subscriptions. Its loss will be chaos!

Where is your wish?

For daily wearing, it’s the Apple watch. I am obsessed with data (comes with job!). For special moments, I am lucky to be able to wear Rolex, or the beautiful Cartier watch that my husband gave me for thirty.

Necessities

How do you get daily coffee repair?

I am more than Matcha fans these days! I use the coffee machine in Krups as high -tech milk to mix almond milk with a coach.

What about eating while moving?

When I am in the office, ITSU is my usual position. If I am eating a sitting meal, I love light Japanese food-I am a big fan of Brooka.

Where do you buy groceries?

I am traditional. In our families, on Sunday morning, the “Great Store” is spent in Sensbury. During the week, we will get a quick mobilization from M & S.

How many times are you eating in front of Cook at home?

We tend to cook most nights because the kitchen is the heart of our home. But Saturdays are usually a day to eat, as it was pressed between football for children and the dog was taken on a picnic.

Where do you shop for your business treasury?

For me, it is all about the style, not the poster! Everything from Zara to old designed brands makes it in my cabinet.

Degenerate

Are you the luxury owner of any future tools?

I recently covered and bought my husband’s Christmas glasses, which proved to be a great pleasure for all family members. In addition, I have the OURA ring that has become a sleep and wellness.

I have become completely fascinated by wellness in the 1940s, and I love the visions that share the Ura episode, flexibility, and preparation. It is an amazing thing that you can discover through exact changes in your body.

How do you relax from the higher job?

Weekends are a whirlwind of family objects. I am essentially a full -time taxi driver, closed children to sports clubs and helped them to keep pace with their social lives. It is not stopped, but I lovely like to switch the gears and be in my mother’s position.

Cooking dinner and a dog walking are my favorite ways to relax. Pilates also started the reformers, which is completely addicted to drugs! Once a month, I book Reiki-it’s session. It is a change in the game.

What is the best treatment you bought yourself?

The rewards usually go directly to the holiday box. It was the best when we took a month outside to travel via Australia and Bali, and we will remember that trip forever.

How do you treat yourself when you get an upgrade?

When you are promoted, it is usually a new bag! For my last turn as an executive president, we kept the matter simple and celebrated a beautiful family meal.

Take a vacation with you, what is the next in your holiday list?

Our big journey this year will be a family holiday to Orlando, Florida when it may be the last family trip to the entertainment gardens before children become age. After the entertainment gardens, we will then travel to the coast for the second part of the holiday. Some of the younger weekends have also been planned, including visiting the lake area for a birthday and booked to go to Paris to celebrate the occasion of my 18 -year marriage.

How many days of annual leave takes a year?

We travel about four to five times a year, and we mix in the UK with the European city breaks and one large family holiday. Winderrere Lake and Dubai are regular for us, but we love to explore new places as well!

Here in a good life, you do not have to imagine what life looks at the top: Get a real inspiration for how the most successful living life.

Fortune wants to hear from European leaders in the form of their “good life”. communication:Orianna.royle@fortune.com 

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

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2025-04-22 08:41:00