Anita Sands

Board Director, Symantec, Service Now, and Pure Storage

Anita Sands is a global technology and business leader with a strong voice, diverse skill set and distinctive background in the financial services and technology industries. She also happens to hold a Ph.D. in atomic and molecular physics, a Master’s in public policy and management, and is a former Fulbright Scholar.

Those academic accomplishments were the beginning of a unique career that spans over two decades (so far). After starting out as an academic, Anita spent ten years in financial services in Canada and the US and became Chief Operating Officer at UBS Wealth Management Americas at the age of 33. Recognizing the importance of technology, she uprooted herself to California, where over the last five years has served on the boards of three public corporations—Symantec, ServiceNow, and Pure Storage—and two private companies, ThoughtWorks and AppBus.

Anita brings energy and fresh thinking to every organization she works with and has been a vocal advocate for gender equality and diversity, especially in the technology industry. Anita’s current focus is on trends important not only to tech but to all industries:

  • Technology Disruption – Its impact on companies, society and public policy
  • Boards – Corporate governance for the digital age
  • Diversity & Belonging in organizations and boardrooms

Anita has been honored for her contributions to technology leadership and the advancement of women. She recently received the “Fearless Leader” award from 2020 Women on Boards and in 2017, was named one of the “Directors to Watch” by Directors & Boards magazine. She’s a former all-Ireland public speaking champion and holds a Diploma in piano from the London School of Music. She splits time between San Francisco and Dublin, and lives with her husband John and daughter Rosie.

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