Cal Henderson and Ryan Lance often appear in the same search, but they are two separate people with no known connection. Henderson co-founded Slack, while Lance led ConocoPhillips for 14 years. This profile covers their age, background, careers, family, giving and net worth, using company announcements, university releases and news reports.
Profile Bio
| Detail | Cal Henderson | Ryan Lance |
| Full name | Callum James Henderson-Begg | Ryan Michael Lance |
| Born | 17 January 1981 | 21 May 1962 |
| Age (2026) | 45 | 64 |
| Birthplace | Bedfordshire, England | Blytheville, Arkansas |
| Nationality | British | American |
| Education | Software engineering, Birmingham City University (2002) | Petroleum engineering, Montana Tech (1984) |
| Profession | Software engineer, entrepreneur, author | Petroleum engineer, executive |
| Known for | Co-founding Slack | Leading ConocoPhillips |
| Current role | Left Slack in 2024 | Executive chair, ConocoPhillips (since 1 September 2026) |
| Spouse | Rebecca | Lisa |
| Height | Not public | Not public |
| Net worth | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Cal Henderson’s Age and Early Life
Cal Henderson was born Callum James Henderson-Begg on 17 January 1981 and is 45. He grew up in Bedfordshire, England, attended Sharnbrook Upper School, and graduated in software engineering from Birmingham City University in 2002. He has said he wanted to write software from the age of five, and his first computer was a ZX Spectrum +3.
Cal Henderson’s Career at Flickr and Slack
Henderson became Flickr’s first employee in 2003 and later led its engineering team through the Yahoo! acquisition. In 2009 he joined Stewart Butterfield at Tiny Speck to build the game Glitch. The game failed, but its internal chat tool became Slack in 2013. Salesforce bought Slack in 2021 for $27.7 billion.
Why Henderson Left Slack
In January 2024, Fortune reported that Henderson, Slack’s last remaining co-founder, was stepping down as CTO. He stayed until 1 March, and Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris took over. Henderson has not publicly explained his reasons in detail, so any motive beyond the reported leadership changes at Slack is speculation.
Henderson’s Family and Giving
Henderson is married to Rebecca. Through the Henderson Family Foundation, the couple gave Birmingham City University $500,000 for a pilot scholarship program and a further $2.75 million to expand it. The university counts $3.31 million in gifts since 2023. Details about siblings or children are not public, so this profile leaves them out.
Henderson’s Net Worth and Social Media
Henderson has not disclosed his net worth, and no reliable source breaks down his share of the Slack sale. His height is not published. His longest-running public presence is his personal site, iamcal.com. His current social media accounts could not be verified, so treat unsourced figures online with caution.
Ryan Lance’s Age and Early Life
Ryan Lance was born on 21 May 1962 in Blytheville, Arkansas, and is 64. He graduated from Great Falls High School in Montana, then paid his way through Montana Tech by working as a roughneck in the oilfields. He earned a petroleum engineering degree in 1984, a hands-on start that shaped his career.
Ryan Lance’s Career at ConocoPhillips
Lance started at ARCO Alaska in 1984 and worked in California, Texas, Alaska and Houston. After Phillips merged with Conoco in 2002, he became vice president of the Lower 48. He rose through technology, major projects and international operations before becoming Chairman and CEO in May 2012, leading the company as a pure exploration and production business.
The 2026 CEO Handover
On 6 August 2026, ConocoPhillips announced that CFO Andy O’Brien would succeed Lance as CEO. Effective 1 September, Lance became executive chair in a transitional role. The board thanked him for 14 years as leader and more than 40 years of service. His 2027 long-term incentive target drops to $12.4 million.
Lance’s Family and Giving
Lance and his wife Lisa, also a Montana Tech graduate, have a son and a daughter. In April 2023 they gave Montana Tech $31 million, the largest gift in its history. It funds the Lance Scholars program and an endowed energy chair, and the school of mines and engineering now carries the Lance name.

Lance’s Net Worth and Height
Lance has not disclosed his net worth. One aggregator lists yearly compensation near $23.45 million and direct ConocoPhillips holdings near $39.6 million, while MarketScreener put the stock at about $50 million in August 2026. These are estimates, not net worth. His height is not public, and he has no verified personal social accounts.
Henderson vs. Lance: Key Differences
Henderson built a company and sold it, while Lance spent four decades rising inside an established one. Software can ship in days, but energy projects take years and heavy capital. Henderson’s wealth ties to company ownership, and Lance’s comes mostly from executive pay and stock awards.
Fun Facts
Henderson was the first person Flickr hired and is colour blind, which ended an early dream of flying fighter jets. Lance paid for college by working on oil rigs. In 2023, Montana Tech renamed its engineering college after him. Both men also fund students at the universities that trained them.
Final Thoughts
Cal Henderson and Ryan Lance took different routes to the top. Henderson turned a failed game into Slack and left in 2024. Lance went from the oilfields to the CEO’s chair and became executive chair in 2026. They are not connected, but both show how far technical skill and steady effort can go.
Must Read: Sean Connolly and Howard Marks: Background, Career and Where They Are Now
FAQs
Are Cal Henderson and Ryan Lance related?
No evidence says so. They work in different industries and countries, and no business link has been reported.
How old are Cal Henderson and Ryan Lance?
Henderson was born on 17 January 1981 and is 45. Lance was born on 21 May 1962 and is 64.
What is Cal Henderson best known for?
He co-founded Slack and was the first person Flickr hired. He stepped down as Slack’s CTO in early 2024 after Salesforce bought the company for $27.7 billion.
What does Ryan Lance do now?
He became executive chair of ConocoPhillips on 1 September 2026. Andy O’Brien took over as CEO after Lance’s 14 years in the role.
What is their net worth?
Neither man has disclosed it. Any figures online are estimates based on stock holdings, pay or company sale prices.








