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Sailor, IT executive, born in Rio de Janeiro, living in London, father of Rodrigo and Gustavo, married to Alessandra, and a passionate Flamengo fan (my brazilian football team)
Hi there,
So, who am I? Let me share a bit about how it all started...
My adventures in sailing and technology began early as a boy aged around 8 years old, and both were a direct influence of my father’s passion for these two worlds.
My father is an engineer and a former entrepreneur, son of a Merchant Navy captain, my grandfather. We had a summer house at São Pedro d'Aldeia, a municipality located in the Lake Region of the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Our house was a few steps from the Araruama Lagoon, an area popular for water sports like sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing due to the strong winds.
Our first boat was a Laser dinghy, and it was how I learned to sail. It was fast, fun and easy to use. I remember vividly that one of my preferred adventures was to cross the Araruama lagoon from the side of our house to the opposite where there were the ‘salinas’. These were saltwork places, shallow, diked evaporation ponds where the highly saline water from the lagoon was moved and allowed to evaporate under the sun and wind, leaving the salt behind to be harvested. We would sail there, grab some salt and come back to later use at our barbecue, or churrasco as we call it in Brazil.
I think the memories from those Lagoon crossings on a Laser Dinghy inspired me to make the Atlantic Ocean crossing with the Clipper Race.
What about technology ? Computers also came into my life early. I was about 10 years old when my father came home with a TK85. This was a Brazilian-made clone of the popular ZX Spectrum from the UK. It connected directly to a standard TV set, and you could code on it using Assembly or BASIC language. So I learned BASIC and got my fingers on what would become the path of my professional career.
After the TK85 computer, my father gave me an Apple II and then a few years later an IBM PC. Just like that, my professional path was already clear to me. I went on to study Computer Engineering at the Catholic University of Rio and later earned a Master in Design, focusing on UX. My dissertation used Second Life, the metaverse of that time. Remember the recent buzz around metaverses?
My professional journey in the global corporate world started with Reader's Digest, the publishing and direct marketing company, which was launching operations in Brazil in 1996. I joined as employee number five, an intern, and stayed seven years as the company grew from a handful to over a hundred people. This startup-like experience shaped me immensely, teaching me to be hands-on with everything from assembling furniture, installing technology to developing software applications. It was a privilege to grow with the company and the bonds we forged as a team remains until today.
Next, I dove into the consumer goods industry at Kraft Foods, a great experience understanding factories, distribution, and sales. But it was at British American Tobacco (BAT) where my career truly became international. I spent 15 years there, starting in Brazil, then moving through regional and global roles. My first international assignment brought my family to London in 2013, and, while adapting was tough, we ended up loving it. I eventually became the Global CTO, leading areas like Data, AI, digital innovation, and enterprise architecture.
In 2022 I left BAT and joined Heineken, leading Technology and Digital for the European region with a team of over 400 people across 20 countries. I was drawn to their friendly culture and big bold transformation strategy, as well as their amazing brands.
During the 20 years of my career at these global companies I’ve learned and achieved so much: formed great teams, implemented new strategies, delivered challenging projects. I’ve also had my share of mistakes and wrong choices, all together, the highs and lows shaped and made me grow as a leader and helped me understand myself better.
Now, for my latest adventure, I've stepped into a portfolio career, advising and consulting Technology and Digital strategy. This is allowing me to have the time flexibility to prepare and cross the Atlantic Ocean sailing in the Clipper Race.
That boy on a Laser dinghy at the Araruama lake in Rio, would be amazed if he could know that one day he would be crossing an Ocean.
Whether your dream is to cross an Ocean, climb a mountain, open your own business or make an international career, I hope this blog inspires you to pursue, persist and thrive in your endeavours.
May the fair winds be with you.
Breno
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