Robert Boyle

Bio:

Robert Boyle is the founder and CEO of Planet Networks, a provider of high-speed fiber Internet, cloud, cybersecurity, communications, and managed network services. With more than three decades of experience in IT, telecommunications, Internet infrastructure, and technology, Robert has founded, built, acquired, and transformed businesses throughout the technology sector.

Throughout his career, Robert has built businesses across telecommunications, Internet services, software, cybersecurity, managed services, and healthcare technology. He has completed more than two dozen M&A transactions and has been involved in three successful company exits. His experience spans technology development, business strategy, operations, acquisitions, capital formation, and scaling companies through periods of significant growth and change.

At Planet Networks, Robert has led the company through substantial growth and the development of a multi-state fiber network serving homes and businesses across New Jersey, New York City, the Hudson Valley, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Central Virginia. Planet Networks provides high-speed fiber connectivity along with cloud, cybersecurity, communications, and managed network services.

Robert's operating philosophy is grounded in first principles. He leads by example and emphasizes vertical integration, rigorous cost control, and challenging conventional industry practices when better approaches are possible. Rather than accepting established ways of doing things, he focuses on the underlying technology and economics and works backward from customer outcomes. This approach enables Planet Networks to continually find ways to improve service, increase efficiency, and deliver better value to customers.

Robert's career in technology began early. While still in grade school, he wrote and sold computer programs, including games for students and software for teachers. While in high school, he worked for a computer company repairing computers while also operating his own business installing sound and telephone systems. In 1991, at age 17, he designed and deployed a WAN for an insurance company.

In 1994, Robert founded Garden Networks, an Internet service provider serving both consumers and businesses. Garden began with dial-up Internet access and expanded into business-class DSL, managed firewalls, wireless broadband, hosted computer access, Software-as-a-Service, and high-speed fiber. The company later became Tellurian and developed into a provider of managed services to the ambulatory healthcare market. Its medical hosting business was acquired by Dell Perot Systems in 2008.

Following the acquisition, Robert held leadership roles within Dell and Perot Systems, including responsibility for product architecture and business strategy and serving as CEO of the physician services division. He has subsequently advised, invested in, and helped launch companies in cybersecurity, software, telecommunications, and IT services, several of which have achieved successful exits.

Robert has spoken at industry conferences and contributed to media coverage on broadband, technology adoption, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure.

Outside of work, Robert enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, reading, cooking, and pursuing hands-on interests including restoring historic buildings and vintage cars, playing guitar, flying airplanes, and riding motorcycles.