Robert Holleyman

As President and CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance from 1990 until April 2013, Robert Holleyman long served as the chief advocate for the global software industry. Before leaving BSA to start his own venture, Cloud4Growth, Holleyman led the most successful anti-piracy program in the history of any industry, driving down software piracy rates in markets around the world.

Named one of the 50 most influential people in the intellectual property world, he was instrumental in putting into place the global policy framework that today protects software under copyright law. A widely respected champion for open markets, Holleyman also was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, the principal advisory committee for the US government on trade matters.

Holleyman was a leader in industry efforts to establish the legal framework necessary for cloud-computing technologies to flourish. He was an early proponent for policies that promote deployment of security technologies to build public trust and confidence in cyberspace. And he created a highly regarded series of forums for industry executives and policymakers to exchange points of view and forge agreements on the best ways to spur technology advances and promote economic growth.

Before heading BSA, Holleyman was a counselor and legislative adviser in the United States Senate, an attorney in private practice, and a judicial clerk in US District Court. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, a J.D. from Louisiana State University, and has completed the Stanford Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Posts by Robert Holleyman

Securing the Benefits of Software Innovation and Growth

Apr 30, 2013 in Cloud Computing, Global Markets, Industry

Software today is woven through the entire fabric of modern life — and yet software innovation continues to explode in exciting new directions, driven by dynamic forces such as cloud and mobile computing. That’s why, as I step down this week as CEO of BSA, I am optimistic about the industry’s future. Looking forward, I … Read More >>

The Power of Innovative Ideas

Apr 25, 2013 in Intellectual Property

April 26 is World Intellectual Property Day, the day the World Intellectual Property Organization sets aside every year to promote discussion of the role IP plays in driving innovation, creativity, social progress and economic growth. But in truth, robust discussions of these issues are already well underway.

TPP, ISA and the Cloud

Mar 14, 2013 in Cloud Computing, Global Markets

This month negotiators from 11 countries are gathering in Singapore for an important round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. As it happens, Singapore provides the perfect backdrop for understanding the opportunity countries have to expand trade in digital services. Singapore has vaulted into the tier of countries with the best … Read More >>

The 2013 BSA Global Cloud Computing Scorecard: A Clear Path to Progress

Mar 7, 2013 in Cloud Computing

It’s no secret that enterprises of all types and sizes are embracing cloud computing. Worldwide, that migration will add more than $1 trillion a year in new business revenues, according to research firm IDC. Less understood, however, is the fact that governments are promulgating a mismatched patchwork of laws and regulations that effectively chop the … Read More >>

Clear Thinking on Software Patents

Feb 22, 2013 in Industry, Intellectual Property

In the vigorous, ongoing debate about the state of America’s patent system — and the state of software patents, in particular — there are some legitimate issues that call for practical solutions, and there is a great deal of peripheral noise. To sort through and identify which is which, BSA and the National Association of … Read More >>