Bill Whyman
Technology Sector Expert
Bill Whyman is a leading expert on the technology sector. He is known for market-tested expertise on the changing technology industry, competition, business model change, and technology policy. Bill brings together a distinctive perspective combining the technology industry (Amazon AWS, McKinsey), financial markets (Evercore, ISI, Legg Mason), and government policy (White House).
Bill was Senior Manager at Amazon Web Services’ cloud computing business where he built a 150-person global organization and led six teams that enable governments, education, and non-profits to adopt cloud computing and accelerate their mission. Prior to that he was the investment communities’ leading technology strategist, advising the top global investors on technology industry dynamics and company investments. Bill was chosen the top-ranked Institutional Investor independent software analyst. He co-founded his own research startup Precursor, where he created and productized the Change Research methodology. Bill also brings proven policy development and implementation experience. He was Director for Economics at the White House National Security Council and National Economic Council. He also served at the State Department, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and US Trade Representative.
Bill graduated from Cornell University Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude, and was a Truman Scholar. He studied at Oxford University, and received an MPA from Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. Bill has been on the Board of Advisors at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy and a visiting lecturer at the School of Business. His research has been published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Recent Publications
Comments to the FTC on the Business Practices of Cloud Computing Providers
ITIF believes that the cloud infrastructure market requires high levels of capital expenditure, R&D and technical sophistication, combined with massive scale. As such, regulators should neither expect, nor seek, a highly dispersed market with a low HHI.
Secrets From Cloud Computing’s First Stage: An Action Agenda for Government and Industry
Cloud computing drives innovation and productivity across the economy, just as the electric grid did a century ago—yet it is more capable and dynamic, and it still in its early stages. Cloud is important not just at the firm level, but also for economic growth and global competitiveness.
Recent Events and Presentations
One Hand Tied Behind Our Backs: Why America Must Do Much More to Curb China’s Dangerous Innovation Mercantilism
Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States this week, ITIF arranged an expert panel to discuss the ramifications and potential U.S. responses to China’s aggressive, mercantilist strategy of shutting American technology companies out of Chinese markets. Panelists referred to a number of the key points in ITIF’s latest report—“False Promises: The Yawning Gap Between China’s WTO Commitments and Practices”—which was released to coincide with the event. Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA), founder and chairman of the Congressional China Caucus, provided opening remarks explaining how China’s mercantilist strategy unfairly tilts the playing field against U.S. technology companies to such a degree that it threatens to undermine the U.S culture of innovation. The systemic nature of China’s mercantilist approach to stealing cutting-edge technology and intellectual property—through forced technology transfers and other means—has only grown more pervasive over the last decade. It is now critical that the U.S. government and others conduct a clear-eyed assessment and create accountability for China’s actions. Thus far, in the absence of real opposition, China has been using “controlled friction” to push as far as it can.
