pearse flynn

Flynn is proud of his non-conformist and no-nonsense approach. “I came up through the ranks myself so I have a huge aversion to bullshit,” he says. “For me it’s important that we don’t insult [employees'] intelligence with a lot of management mumbo-jumbo. They want to hear the facts.”

For this reason, Flynn has launched “Voice from the Bridge,” a weekly three-minute voicemail that goes out to all employees and updates them on recent developments. “He’s re-energizing the company in a way that the company and all the employees can understand Keating notes. “He has really galvanized a team spirit.”

Meanwhile Flynn, an avid movie buff, is already planning his next performance and the message he wants to get across. “The theme of our next conference might be something like Robocop or Terminator,” Flynn jokes “That’ll be [once] we’ve killed our competition.”

Born in Ballycotton, Ireland, Flynn says it’s partially his passion for soccer that makes him a better boss. “I love [soccer] because there’s real people and real passion at it. Sometimes in this job you get treated so well and looked after so well that you forget reality.”

Indeed, while he was based at Wang, Flynn became a loyal fan of Glasgow Celtic, even flying in from the United States to catch a game.

Flynn has degrees in applied physics and digital systems. When he’s not working a 15-hour day or following Celtic, he spends his time with his wife and three children. “I’m very selfish about my time with my family,” he says.

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and then spent 12 years at Compaq Computer Corp., where he held several executive positions, before joining Newbridge in February. It was during this time that Flynn gained a reputation as a charismatic leader–and was presented by his staff with the five-foot sword to recognize his “dynamic leadership and ability to turn an adverse situation into an opportunity for victory,” recalls Eddie Minshull, a Newbridge executive vice president.

Minshull, who worked with Flynn for two years at Compaq before following him to Newbridge six months ago, says he believes the Braveheart image is a perfect fit for Flynn, who seems to enjoy beating the odds. “He was instrumental in change at Compaq…and now he’s the one to make things happen at Newbridge,” Minshull says. “But he doesn’t do this by looking over your shoulder…He gives a lot of autonomy to his team.”

If anything, Minshull explains, Flynn moves so fast that he can leave others behind. “He has a lot of energy and demands that others move at a similar speed…He supports those who deliver and he can be clinical and cool to those who don’t [deliver].”

Flynn has an ambitious turnaround plan for Newbridge, which he sees as a nimble company that is undervalued and underestimated. “I want us to exceed analysts’ expectations for the next six quarters,” Flynn explains. “We’ve been punished for inconsistent performance. So my job is to get consistency and get this company worth what it is…I want us to be a moving target [for companies plotting a takeover] and not a sitting duck.”