Adam Cockburn – CTO, Chief Digital Architect and Customer-Obsessed Technology Leader
In the world of digital transformation and enterprise technology, Adam Cockburn stands out as a leading figure. With more than two decades of experience across industries such as telecommunications, financial services, public health, and retail, he has established himself as a strategist, technologist, and leader who blends technical rigour with customer-centric innovation. From his early career as a software developer to his present role as CTO and Head of Architecture Practice at Axiologik, Adam Cockburn’s journey demonstrates the value of combining strategy, execution, and people-first leadership.
Early Career and Education of Adam Cockburn
Adam Cockburn’s professional foundations were built upon his education and his early exposure to the IT sector. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Bradford between 1993 and 1996. Later, recognising the importance of formalising his technology and leadership expertise, he completed a Postgraduate Certificate in IT and Management at Sheffield Hallam University from 2012 to 2016.
This blend of science and management gave him a unique perspective, enabling him to understand complex systems both technically and strategically.
Adam Cockburn at Yorkshire Building Society
Adam Cockburn’s career began at the Yorkshire Building Society in 1997, where he remained for over 14 years. Starting as a developer and later moving into solution design, he was instrumental in delivering large cross-functional technical projects. His responsibilities grew to include leading technical teams, implementing governance processes, and championing enterprise architecture.
By 2010, he was deeply involved in the society’s enterprise architecture function, ensuring strategies were translated into practical solutions. His experience here laid the groundwork for his later roles as an enterprise and solution architect in larger, more complex organisations.
Rise Through Architecture and Leadership Roles
After leaving Yorkshire Building Society in 2012, Adam Cockburn broadened his experience across several industries and organisations:
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VocaLink (2012): As a Solution Architect, he played a key role in mobile payments solutions and developed agile-aligned architecture models for national payment platforms.
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Capgemini (2012–2013): Operating as a Lead Consultant, he created enterprise and solution architectures for global clients, embedding TOGAF frameworks and mentoring architects in best practice.
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Premier Farnell (2013–2016): Here, he led domain architecture, IT strategies, and multi-year technology roadmaps in the global B2B and B2C electronics sector.
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Capita and Capita O2 Partnership (2016–2017): Serving as Chief Architect and later Digital Solutions Director, he was responsible for technology transformation across local government and telecoms partnerships.
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Slater and Gordon (2017): Worked as an Enterprise Architect, aligning business and technology strategies.
These experiences enhanced his reputation as a leader capable of bridging business needs with technology design and delivery.
Adam Cockburn at Plusnet – CIO and Chief Architect
Perhaps one of the most defining stages of his career was at Plusnet, where Adam Cockburn held senior roles from 2017 to 2021. Initially appointed as Chief Architect, he was responsible for shaping the technology strategy across the business. Later, as Technology Director and CIO, he managed full-service end-to-end IT operations supporting multiple UK brands, including broadband and mobile networks.
At Plusnet, his leadership covered infrastructure, service management, software engineering, information security, and delivery management. He successfully guided large teams through significant transformation, embedding agile principles and modernising platforms to enhance customer experience.
Adam Cockburn at BT – Tribe Lead and EA Operations Manager
In 2021, Adam Cockburn joined BT Group, where he worked as both EA Operations Manager and Technology Tribe Lead.
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As EA Operations Manager, he held global responsibilities for enterprise architecture consultancy, practice governance, and tooling.
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As Technology Tribe Lead, he pioneered a customer identity-focused transformation, mobilising a new 60+ strong multi-squad tribe. He became a champion of product-led approaches, embedding user research into agile, cross-functional teams, and transforming customer experiences.
Leadership at the UK Health Security Agency
Between December 2021 and June 2023, Adam Cockburn worked as Chief Digital Architect at the UK Health Security Agency. This role was particularly important in the context of public health challenges and the need for resilient digital infrastructure.
Here, he oversaw the design and transformation of digital services that supported national health security. His focus was not just on technical architecture, but also on ensuring that digital platforms were scalable, reliable, and prepared to handle critical national services.
Adam Cockburn at Axiologik – CTO and Digital Strategist
In November 2021, Adam Cockburn joined Axiologik, where he continues to play a pivotal role as Head of Architecture Practice and CTO-level Strategist. His responsibilities include:
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Building and expanding Axiologik’s architecture practice.
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Providing CTO and Chief Architect leadership to clients across multiple industries.
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Supporting organisations through digital transformation by aligning strategy, operations, and culture.
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Delivering customer-obsessed solutions, ensuring that technology directly meets market and user needs.
His work at Axiologik has centred on helping leadership teams rethink existing operating models, adopt new digital offerings, and foster cultural transformation alongside technological change.
Recent Role – CIO at Vp plc
From July 2024 to January 2025, Adam Cockburn served as Chief Information Officer at Vp plc. In this role, he provided CIO-level leadership, driving digital strategy and IT operations. This position added another layer to his broad portfolio of executive experience, reinforcing his credentials as both a strategist and delivery leader.
Leadership Philosophy of Adam Cockburn
One of Adam Cockburn’s distinguishing qualities is his customer-obsessed leadership style. He is committed to delivering digital offerings that people genuinely want and need. By challenging outdated ways of working, he creates environments where innovation thrives, even during periods of uncertainty.
His philosophy emphasises:
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People and culture: Leading with vision and role modelling during transformations.
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Partnerships: Building strong collaborations between IT and business.
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Execution rigour: Ensuring strategies are executed effectively over multi-year programmes.
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Innovation: Encouraging new approaches to enhance both customer and organisational value.
Skills and Expertise
Throughout his career, Adam Cockburn has developed strong competencies across several domains:
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Strategic leadership and enterprise IT strategy.
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Digital transformation and architecture delivery.
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Cloud platforms and emerging technologies.
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Building and scaling technology practices and teams.
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Governance, assurance, and architectural tooling.
These capabilities make him a highly versatile executive, equally comfortable in the boardroom and in technical leadership roles.
Conclusion – Adam Cockburn’s Enduring Impact
Adam Cockburn is more than a technologist; he is a strategist, leader, and customer advocate. His career reflects an ability to adapt to new challenges, from transforming telecoms and financial services to leading architecture in public health and digital consultancy.
Today, as CTO and Chief Digital Architect at Axiologik, his influence continues to grow. His legacy lies not only in the innovative projects he has delivered but also in his leadership approach—one that combines technology with empathy, strategy with execution, and vision with tangible results.
For organisations seeking to maximise the value of IT and deliver customer-focused digital transformation, Adam Cockburn represents the kind of leadership that turns ambition into reality.
