Rodney J Woodruff

Rodney J. Woodruff is the Founder and Principal Advisor at Build Beyond Advisory, where he partners with founders, executive teams, and boards to scale high-performing engineering organizations, bridge the gap between technical architecture and business growth, and operationalize modern AI and commerce platforms.

Prior to founding Build Beyond, Rodney served as Vice President of Engineering at Salesforce, where he led the engineering strategy and execution for core commerce engines (including Cart, Checkout, Payments, Shipping, and Order Management) with an emphasis on platform performance, scale, and Agentforce AI innovation. Previously, he was Vice President of Engineering at Shopify, where he led the Storefronts organization building the Online Store Editor and Themes Platform and powering high-concurrency systems handling peak volumes over $9.3B during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. His extensive leadership background spans digital transformation and direct-to-consumer platforms for premier brands including WW (formerly WeightWatchers), Steve Madden, and Gucci.

A passionate advocate for “Engineering’s Commercial Imperative,” Rodney is a frequent keynote speaker (including LeadDev London’s “From Code to Commerce”) on how engineering leaders can cultivate commercial empathy and co-own business outcomes.

Beyond his advisory work, Rodney has been deeply committed to fostering an inclusive tech ecosystem, including volunteering with Girls Who Code, the Microsoft TEALS program, and The Marcy Lab School to create durable pathways for underrepresented talent in technology. Outside of work, he cherishes time with his wife of 27 years, cheering on his daughters at their sporting events, and building personal side projects.