Rich Widmann is a lawyer and senior business operator with extensive experience in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors. He serves as the Global Head of Strategy for Web3 at Google Cloud, where he co-founded the company's first dedicated Web3 initiatives. In addition to his corporate role, Widmann is an adjunct professor at the Northwestern Pritzker University School of Law, where he teaches a course on financial technology and regulation. He frequently leverages his background as an attorney specializing in regulatory matters and white-collar crime to inform his work in Web3 strategy and corporate adoption of blockchain technology. ^{[1] [2]}​

Career

Widmann's career trajectory is marked by a deliberate transition from traditional, high-stakes regulatory law to a leadership position at the forefront of Web3 strategy within a major technology corporation. His legal expertise in corruption and cryptocurrency provided a foundation for his subsequent roles in business strategy and board governance. ^{[3] [2]}​

Legal Career and Transition to Web3

Prior to his work in the technology sector, Widmann was a litigator at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP. ^[3] His legal practice focused on complex regulatory and white-collar criminal corruption matters. During this period, he handled cases related to international corruption, including legal matters concerning the FIFA World Cup bribery schemes. ^[2]​

In 2017, Widmann began to pivot his legal practice to specialize in the emerging field of cryptocurrency. He started representing founders and startups within the Ethereum ecosystem, advising them on high-stakes legal disputes and regulatory challenges. This work positioned him at the intersection of law and the burgeoning Web3 industry, establishing his expertise in the unique legal complexities of decentralized technologies. ^[2]​

Google Cloud

On January 27, 2022, Widmann announced that he was "hanging up my legal spurs" to join Google as the "Head of Strategy for Digital Assets." This move marked the public launch of Google Cloud's new Digital Assets Team, and he expressed excitement about applying his "legal toolset to biz strategy." ^[3]​

​