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

Piracy in the Cloud: A Picture Is Starting to Emerge

Jul 19, 2012 in Cloud Computing

One of the most striking findings in the global survey data we are releasing this week is the fact that 42 percent of the people who use paid cloud services for business say they share their log-in credentials inside their organizations. This points to a worrisome new avenue for software license abuse, and it is … Read More >>

Emerging Markets Ready for Cloud — Including Paid Services

Jul 18, 2012 in Cloud Computing

If you live in a developing economy and use a computer, then, likely as not, you also use cloud computing services at least some of the time for email, word processing, document or photo storage, or other needs — although you might not understand those services to be “cloud computing.”

When “Security” Regulations Overreach

Jul 9, 2012 in Cybersecurity, Global Markets

Cybersecurity has justifiably become a front-burner policy concern for governments around the world. But what happens when security regulations are effectively used to bolster the prospects of local firms at the expense of foreign competitors? We are starting to find out, especially in emerging markets, where many governments have recently begun implementing security-related measures that … Read More >>

Manipulating Technology Standards to Impede Competition

Jul 5, 2012 in Global Markets, Industry

The point of having standards is to create a consistent set of rules, or models, for all parties to follow. That point seems to be lost, though, on governments in many emerging markets. When it comes to technology, countries like China and India are trying to create their own patchwork of unique standards — many … Read More >>

The New Wave of IT-Focused Trade Barriers, Another Case Study: Discriminatory Procurement Policies

Jun 29, 2012 in Global Markets, Industry

Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers sent a letter to the Indian government, expressing alarm at “unprecedented interference” in the procurement processes of government and commercial entities in India. The letter stated, in part, that “This policy will undermine investor confidence and would be inconsistent with India’s international obligations, as well as, … Read More >>