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Meet Ryan Abu-Ali, CRO and Global VP, High Velocity Software at Rockwell Automation. To those who may not know what exactly that means, "I just tell people I'm a sales guy," he shrugs. "My wife always says, 'That's not really what you do,' but it's easier than trying to explain it all."
If the conversation keeps going, he’ll add that he helps run a software business inside Rockwell Automation - "We say it’s a big company most people haven’t heard of," he jokes. "But they touch close to 90% of manufacturing plants."
His role is simple to describe but hard to execute: make sure every part of the revenue engine - sales, marketing, customer experience - runs smoothly. "The job is to optimize the whole system," he says. "The simple version? Drive more revenue."
What surprises people most is how much of his role is about looking ahead. "You're planning two, three years out, while still delivering today," he says. "You have to hold a view of the future, not just react to what's in front of you."
He breaks things down into horizons - near, mid, long-term - and makes a habit of checking in. "You look back and ask, is everyone still with me? Are we aligned?". That mindset shows up in hiring too: "We're not just filling roles. We're hiring people who can lead through what’s coming next."
How it started
Ryan’s always been drawn to the digital world. Early on, he found himself working in e-commerce and digital marketing, experimenting with early versions of Shopify before most people had heard of it. It felt like the future - and he wanted in.
At first, he was deep in product marketing. Then one day, the president of his company looked at him and said: "You're not a marketer. You're a sales guy. Don't you want to make some money? Go sell." That was it. He never looked back.
He dove into sales, working for a footwear distributor during the day, selling to names like SoftMoc and Walmart, and clocking night shifts on the ramp at FedEx to pay the bills. "I'd do sales calls in a blazer, then throw on my uniform and head to FedEx," he laughs. "I learned fast: you can't sell the boxes and also put them on the plane. You can't do it all yourself."
Those early years gave him a crash course in supply chain and logistics. "It was mostly a price game," he says. "Not a lot of room to differentiate." He stayed for over a decade, but tech kept pulling at him.
"I always knew I wanted in," he says. "And when I finally made the jump, everything was taking off." Leaning on his network and few strong connections made it possible.
Looking back, the advice he'd give his younger self is simple: lean into what makes you different. "Authenticity is your biggest advantage. No one’s better at being you than you."
And when the path feels slow? He reminds himself: comparison is the thief of joy. "It’s not about being late. It’s about having a different journey. Things tend to show up right on time."
A curious mindset
He credits much of his growth to strong leaders he's worked with. "I’ve been lucky," he says. "Just being in the room, watching how they operate - it helped me build my own playbook."
Over time, he realized no leader has it all figured out. "The key is staying curious. Watch what works, watch what doesn’t, and keep adjusting."
He remembers those early executive meetings, wondering: How does everyone know so much? “You figure out - they’re not smarter. They’ve just lived it. Patterns and data start to make sense over time."
One thing people say about him? He's consistent. "When I commit to something, I follow through," he says. Whether it's a project, a decision, or a promise to his team - he shows up.
"I try to be someone who saves time, not wastes it."
That mindset shapes how he hires too. He’s open to non-traditional paths and unpolished profiles. "Some of the best talent comes from places you wouldn’t expect," he says.
He uses a simple framework: head, heart, and briefcase.
"In executive hiring, people over-index on the briefcase. But all three matter." What he's really hunting for is potential. "Performance ceilings matter more than polish. Sometimes the underdog, the one who just needs a shot, outpaces everyone."
Leading with transparency
Ryan’s a high-context communicator - the kind who believes in over-communicating, not under.
For almost 90 straight weeks, he’s sent out a Friday business update. It started as a way to create clarity. It became a ritual of accountability. "High context teams are created with radical transparency," he says. "People feel connected when they know exactly where we’re headed and why."
In fast-moving environments, he focuses on building teams that feel both challenged and supported. He even gives out a Purple Cow Award (a nod to Seth Godin’s book) to reward people who think differently and stand out.
At the heart of it all is trust. "Stay rooted in empowerment and growth, and results follow.”
Automation & Authenticity
A piece of tech he wishes existed? “Something that records your dreams and plays them back,” he laughs. “Weird, I know.”
More seriously, he’s energized by automation-first companies - especially those modernizing legacy industries. “AI is buzzwordy, but automation is the unlock,” he says. “The ones building automation-first businesses are the most exciting. AI and automation can create real leverage in a GTM strategy.”
And he’s clear: it’s not tech for tech’s sake - it’s about outcomes. “The best-run companies will find ways to do more with less. It’s all about unit economics.”
As for legacy? He hopes it’s about authenticity, trust, and challenging the default.
There’s always been a quiet undercurrent in business - this is how it’s always been done. Ryan’s tried to push back on that. He shows up honestly, leads with people in mind, and builds trust through consistency.
He never set out to disrupt the status quo - but by staying true to his values, he often has.
The hope is that the way he’s led - open, thoughtful, human - has left something behind. That the people he’s worked with carry a bit of that forward: in how they lead, build culture, and do business.
Not because it came from a playbook - but because it worked. And it felt right.
Read more insights from our team.
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Founded by Kristina McDougall in 2013, Artemis has grown to become Canada’s most trusted boutique executive search firm for startups.
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