Hi, I’m Rob Bowley. I’ve been working in technology for over 25 years. I started as a software engineer around the time of the DotCom boom and then fell into leadership positions around 14 years ago. I now work as a Product & Leadership Technology Advisor, Consultant, Coach & Mentor (aka fractional CPTO/COO), you can find out more about my services at pragmaticpartners.co.uk.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of everything from early-stage start-ups and scale-ups (Masabi, 7digital) to large-scale enterprises (Co-op Group, Mony Group). My leadership career has spanned leading teams as small as four and as large as 200 engineers, with a focus on building scalable products and creating environments where teams feel motivated and productive.
Modern best practices for delivering software – often grouped under the “Agile” umbrella – have been central to my approach. I’ve been an early adopter and advocate for these practices in the UK, and I’m especially proud to have created the Agile Retrospective Wiki, which is now used by thousands of people worldwide every week.
I’ve always been passionate about contributing to the local tech community. When in London, I helped run the eXtreme Tuesday club and XPDay and SPA conferences. In Manchester I’m involved as a mentor on start-up accelerator programmes, a board advisor for Manchester Tech Festival, a member of Manchester City Council’s Digital Strategy Advisory Board and help run the Manchester CTOCraft Mixer
Beyond that, I care about making the tech industry more accessible, working to improve career pathways and create opportunities for underrepresented groups in the industry.
What drives me most is the thrill of growing exceptional teams and building products that truly make a difference. That’s what keeps me inspired after all these years in the industry.