Rob Walker, UK managing director of AI consultancy Capgemini, has built a career spanning more than 25 years at the heart of technology and business transformation.
Walker, who is 53 and originally from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, began his working life washing dishes at a local hotel restaurant, earning £2.50 an hour as a teenager.
After studying economics at university, he joined global professional services firm EY as a graduate, where his very first client was in the technology sector.
That early assignment quickly set the course for his entire career, with Walker describing how the pace of innovation immediately captured his attention and ambition.
“The pace of innovation, the constant evolution, how it accelerates business outcomes — I was instantly hooked,” he said, reflecting on those formative early years in the industry.
Over the following decades, Walker took on UK and global leadership roles within the Big Four and at major technology services and consulting firms, before leading Cognizant’s UK and Ireland business.
He now sits on the Capgemini Group Executive Committee as UK managing director, with a particular focus on the transformative potential of AI and agentic AI for British business.
Walker describes London as arguably Europe’s most internationally connected city, praising its unique capacity to attract talent, capital, and innovation from around the world.
However, he is clear that the city cannot afford complacency, arguing that the conditions underpinning London’s success require constant renewal and investment to remain competitive.
“London’s success has always come from its ability to reinvent itself, and it’s vital that we continue to invest in the foundations that will keep it globally competitive for decades to come,” he said.
Walker identifies several priorities for maintaining London’s edge, including attracting diverse talent, strengthening industry and academia links, and supporting start-ups and scale-ups across the wider ecosystem.
On the subject of memorable encounters, Walker singles out meeting Sir Chris Hoy as a particular highlight, citing the cyclist’s humility and positivity in the face of illness as truly extraordinary qualities.
When asked about career regrets or missteps, Walker recounted accidentally boarding the wrong taxi while travelling overseas for a client visit, describing it as an expensive lesson in the value of slowing down.
His proudest professional moments, he says, are not personal accolades but rather the times he has accelerated someone else’s development and watched them thrive as a result.
Walker credits his mother as his most influential role model, having built a senior career at one of the world’s largest global consumer beverage companies during a time when that level of success was far from typical.
“She really showed me what can be achieved through sheer talent, grit and determination,” he said, describing her rise as an enduring source of personal inspiration.
Looking ahead, Walker expresses strong optimism, arguing that the UK is well positioned to lead as AI and agentic AI drive a profound transformation across business and the wider economy.
“I think we are at the foothills of a profound change in business due to the impact of AI and agentic AI,” he said, predicting substantial economic value from these technologies as they continue to evolve.
Outside the office, Walker can typically be found cycling, playing golf, or walking near his home in Newbury, Berkshire, with his ideal holiday being a family trip to Majorca.
His best career advice, he says, is straightforward: stay curious and never stop learning, a principle that has guided him from a hotel kitchen to one of the most senior technology roles in the UK.