From IBM transformation to AI-powered product strategy, Higgins brings proven enterprise expertise and client-first vision to fuel the firm’s next phase of commercial expansion

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced the appointment of Patrick Higgins as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). A seasoned technology leader with over 15 years of experience driving digital innovation for Fortune 500 companies, Higgins steps into a pivotal role to deepen client partnerships, scale impact, and fuel the company’s next phase of growth.

Higgins built his career at the intersection of digital product development, enterprise transformation, and applied AI. He began at IBM delivering mission-critical programs for large government and healthcare clients. Higgins then spent nearly a decade at WillowTree, where he helped scale the firm into a full-service digital agency and led go-to-market efforts across Media, Healthcare, and most recently, AI. Over the past year alone, he has advised more than 80 organizations on how to turn AI ambitions into action through strategic governance, rapid prototyping, and practical deployment strategies.

Now, as CRO at Robots & Pencils, Higgins will lead all commercial operations, with a focus on aligning strategy, sales, and client partnerships to help organizations unlock the full potential of AI, cloud-native architecture, and next-generation experiences.

“Patrick’s ability to listen deeply, build trust, and connect business goals to technical outcomes is exceptional,” said Leonard Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils. “He doesn’t just understand AI—he understands how to activate it inside the enterprise. He’s helped clients across industries turn emerging tech into scalable solutions, and his presence here marks a key step in our evolution. We’re not chasing growth for growth’s sake—we’re scaling the way we serve our clients. Patrick is the right leader to ensure that growth stays grounded in trust, results, and partnership.”

Higgins joins a growing executive team committed to challenging the traditional global systems integrators with a model that prioritizes speed, strategy, and elite delivery. With global centers of excellence and strategic partnerships with AWS, Salesforce, and Databricks, Robots & Pencils is positioned to help clients move beyond experimentation and into meaningful, AI-infused transformation.

“What drew me to Robots & Pencils is the caliber of the team and the clarity of the mission,” said Higgins. “We’re not just talking about AI. We’re delivering it—wrapped in thoughtful design, modern cloud infrastructure, and agile engineering. This is a firm built to move fast and deliver real results, and I’m honored to help lead the next chapter.”

In addition to his leadership role, Higgins is an active contributor to the AI community, serving as a panelist for the University of Virginia’s AI initiatives and helping organizations demystify their path to innovation. He holds a BA and MBA from the University of Virginia and lives in Charlottesville with his family.

Seasoned transformation leader joins the executive team to scale AI-first growth, elevate client delivery, and drive operational excellence

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced the appointment of Nathan Carmon as Chief Operating Officer (COO). A battle-tested operator and longtime business partner to CEO Leonard Pagon, Carmon joins at a pivotal moment to bring sharper execution, deepen client value, and accelerate the company’s AI-first momentum.

Carmon’s mandate isn’t just about growing fast—it’s about growing right. That means investing in people, refining delivery systems, and ensuring every client engagement is marked by clarity, care, and measurable impact. His arrival marks another major milestone in Robots & Pencils’ evolution from mobile pioneer to AI-first consultancy.

For more than 20 years, Carmon and Pagon have built, scaled, and sold consulting businesses together—from growing Brulant from a 25-person startup into a 500-person powerhouse, to doubling Rosetta’s scale post-acquisition. As an Operating Partner at Next Sparc, Carmon has spent the last decade turning strategy into results across a portfolio of high-growth ventures. Now, he brings that same transformation expertise to Robots & Pencils.

“Nathan is the rare kind of operator who makes complex things simple and ambitious things achievable,” said Leonard Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils and President of Next Sparc. “When we were building Brulant, I could count on Nathan to turn big vision into day-to-day momentum. We scaled fast because he knew how to align teams, deliver value, and move with speed and precision. With Nathan as COO, we’re not just ready for what’s next—we’re built for it.”

Carmon joins at a time when every business is under pressure to adopt AI, modernize legacy systems, and compete at digital speed. Robots & Pencils is meeting that moment with a challenger mindset, deploying high-impact, Navy SEAL-style teams that combine elite engineering with intuitive UX design. With global delivery across North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and partnerships with AWS, Salesforce, and Databricks, the firm is uniquely positioned to help clients lead in the age of AI.

“I’ve helped scale consulting firms from the ground up, and I know what great looks like,” said Carmon. “Robots & Pencils has it. The talent here is exceptional, the leadership is bold, and the market timing couldn’t be better. This team has everything we need to do it again—only bigger, faster, and smarter.”

“With Nathan leading our internal operations, I’m freed up to spend more time where I create the most value—engaging directly with clients, exploring strategic opportunities, and helping shape the future of Robots & Pencils to meet market demand,” said Pagon. “That’s the power of having a leader you trust.”

Carmon holds a BS in Computer Science and an MBA from the University of Michigan. When he’s not accelerating digital transformations, he enjoys wake surfing, biking, model rocketry, and spending time with his daughter and four grandchildren.