Robert E. Allen served as the president of AT&T between 1986 and 1988 at a time the company was transitioning from having a monopoly on providing telephone services to most of the U.S and Canada, to being a competitor among other long distance providers. He stayed with the company as CEO and chairman from 1988 to 1997.

Several years later he joined a young telecommunications software company, Whisper Wire, advising the company through its convergence with the Convergys Corporation.

He then served as a member of the Boards for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chrysler, and Pepsi.