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As a young adult, Thaddeus Arroyo took a calculated risk that set the tone for his career.
“I chose to study science and pursue a technology career,” he says, “despite not having early role models who could demonstrate that this decision would one day help me provide for my family.”
This choice led him to join Southwestern Bell’s IT department and to take on increasing levels of responsibility, including leadership roles at Cingular Wireless, AT&T Mexico, and AT&T Inc. Throughout his career he has led several cohorts, including systems technology, business, and consumer teams, through transformational changes to stay ahead in the ever-changing technology landscape.
“We grow from facing the unfamiliar. Seek out chances to figure out who you are as a professional and as a person—the good and the bad.”
Thaddeus Arroyo
Today, as AT&T’s chief strategy and development officer, Arroyo is guiding AT&T into the next era of connectivity. His leadership philosophy is rooted in “the art of the possible.”
“As leaders, we must embrace opportunity and challenges as well as make adjustments along the way,” Arroyo says. “Taking smart risks and disrupting traditional business models to enhance competitiveness is a key leadership quality that is needed today.”
That’s especially true considering advancements in technology like AI. Arroyo believes AI’s adoption is already beginning to reshape communities around the world, which offers “unprecedented opportunities for growth, innovation, and societal advancement with responsible and appropriate applications.” As one of the most important evolutions since the creation of the internet, AI can be a gamechanger for underrepresented communities, he says.
“If you think about the Hispanic community, generative AI opens up avenues for innovation by providing tools that assist in creation, analysis, and engagement. To level the playing field in the digital economy, our community needs to not only embrace the potential but also participate in the creation of these new capabilities.”
He adds, “With Hispanics or Latinos representing one in five Americans today—and one in four Americans under 18—their equitable participation in the AI-driven future is not only necessary but strategically important for the nation’s technological competitiveness.”
That’s why Arroyo is proud of AT&T’s commitment to bridging the digital divide, with a $2 billion investment the company established in 2021 and increased the total commitment to $5 billion in 2024. The initiative aims to help 25 million people get and stay connected by 2030. By countering the digital divide, AT&T is laying the groundwork to develop a robust talent pipeline that represents the communities and customers it serves.
“To solve the digital divide, it’s important that families have accessible, affordable internet options and access to quality digital literacy resources that teach them the skills needed to adopt and benefit from the internet,” he says. “Some of our Connected Learning Centers in Hispanic communities not only provide an internet connection but serve children, college students, adults and seniors with curriculums that teach basic techniques for using email and search engines. They also provide mentorship programs.”
“Taking smart risks and disrupting traditional business models to enhance competitiveness is a key leadership quality that is needed today.”
Thaddeus Arroyo
Mentorship is important to Arroyo. He mentors leaders across industries and benefits from reverse mentorships with leaders at different career stages. He believes mentorship is an opportunity to help emerging leaders assess gaps in their own development while “providing a dimension of growth outside of traditional supervisory relationships.”
“Mentorship is about being an advocate and coach to develop trust and create a safe place for transparent feedback,” he says. “In having this kind of relationship, consistent communication is an important factor, especially when mentees embrace new challenges. You can help guide them through fear of failure and lean on leadership principles, including raising questions around self-imposed constraints.”
Prior to his current role, Arroyo served as CEO of AT&T Consumer, where he oversaw integrated consumer internet and mobility services. His team served more than 196 million wireless subscriber connections and 17 million fiber internet customers.
In addition to taking risks and embracing change and challenges, Arroyo has succeeded by pursuing discomfort.
“Embrace those pivots in life that help you step out of your comfort zone. We grow from facing the unfamiliar,” he says. “Inexperience can offer a clean slate without any preconceived notions, allowing us to approach an opportunity with a completely open mind. Seek out chances to figure out who you are as a professional and as a person—the good and the bad.”
