Robert Williams

Head of Business and Partnerships

SandboxAQ

Robert E. Williams is an operating executive with deep experience helping customers navigate
digital transformation through innovative technologies - such as 5G, AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity,
IoT, Quantum - building high performing & diverse teams, and cultivating strategic partnerships.
He is currently Head of Business & Partnerships at SandboxAQ, a spin-out of Google X that
leverages AI and quantum to address challenging use cases in healthcare & life sciences,
financial services, energy, public sector and cybersecurity across industries.
Previously, Robert held multiple Vice President roles at Palo Alto Networks with responsibility for
several global solution offerings including IoT Security, OT Security, Cloud Next-Gen Firewall for
AWS, Google, Oracle Cloud. He also led the team responsible for Palo Alto’s Public Sector
channel, delivering $950M in cybersecurity services for the government. At Amazon, he
launched a team focused on scaling strategic relationships with Independent Software Vendors
built on AWS cloud. As a 3rd line people leader and youngest Sales Center Vice President at
AT&T, Robert and his team served over 200,000 small business customers, and most proudly,
he directly approved over 50 associates job promotions or progressions.
Robert began his professional career as an AT&T Public Sector account executive delivering
secure communications services to US House & Senate, United Nations, NASA, Department of
Commerce, Education, Energy, Housing & Urban Development, and Native American Tribes.
Robert strives to have as big of an impact in his community as he does in business. He serves
as a mentor to diverse talent from underrepresented groups, on the business school advisory
board of Miami University, as a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and in support of
the family businesses. Robert was recently recognized in CyberScoop50 and the inaugural
Inclusive Channel Leaders list by CRN. His work has also been featured via World Economic
Forum Davos, Bloomberg, Mobile World Congress Barcelona, AWS re:Inforce, Billington
CyberSecurity Summit, Federal News Network, GovExec, Venture Beat.
Robert resides in the Washington D.C. metro area with his wife and two adventurous toddlers.

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