Robert F Byrne
Robert F Byrne, VP and GM, forecasting solutions, E2open, predicts more new and exciting tastes will become available over the next 12 months as flavours and cuisines spread globally
Describe yourself in three words.
Father, nerd, driven.
What’s your biggest professional achievement?
Co-founding Terra Technology.
How did you get to where you are today?
Bad luck. I was happily leading professional services at Numetrix when it was bought by JD Edwards. Rather than finding another job I started Terra with three Numetrix colleagues.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I fly about 1,000 miles/day on average, so pretty much one to two meetings and off to a new city.
What have been the highlights of your company’s history, in your opinion?
Inventing Demand Sensing, signing our first global license (with P&G) when we had 10 employees and joining E2open to build the multi-enterprise supply chain.
What is your pet hate?
People who don’t prepare for airport security.
Give us a positive prediction for the food industry over the next 12 months.
Flavours and cuisines are spreading globally, so more new and exciting tastes are becoming available.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
Ability to attract good people, a vision and a focus on results.
Who do you most admire?
Barack Obama.
Which people/organisations or companies are the ones to watch right now?
Other than E2open, Amazon and Google.
Which words do you most overuse?
Multi-enterprise, optimise.
If you weren’t in your current position, what else might you be doing?
Teaching at a university.
Tell us something about yourself that few people know.
I vacation in a very rural location with no indoor plumbing.
Any vices?
Bordeaux.
What single thing would most improve the quality of your life?
A cure for jet lag.
How do you relax?
Hanging out with the family. Rock concerts.
How would you like to be remembered?
As a loving father and good boss.
