Stephen Rooke

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2026.

Stephen is a strategic technology leader with 20+ years' shaping enterprise‑grade solutions and large‑scale transformation. His career has been defined by a belief that technology should simplify, clarify, and empower; not complicate.

Driven by simplification, accountability, and commoditisation, Stephen designs platforms that enhance lives and deliver real commercial impact. Known for turning vision into execution, Stephen builds insight‑led, high‑performing environments that cut through noise and enable sustainable, purposeful progress.

What's the most exciting part of your current role?

Creating experiences that genuinely enhance lives; whether that's empowering customers, enabling teams, or shaping services that boost confidence and celebrate individuality.

I'm energised by improving things. I love taking something that works and making it work better, simplifying processes, enhancing systems, refining customer journeys, and removing friction. There's something incredibly rewarding about seeing a change move from idea to execution and then watching the tangible impact; improved productivity, stronger engagement, increased sales, and better outcomes for the people we serve.

What do you do in week one of a new project to avoid pain in month six?

Start together, make sure everyone is aligned on the "why" behind the project.

What’s the part of your estate you most want to simplify in 2026?

Simplification is one of my core tenets. In 2026, we will continue making life easier for our customers to interact and transact with us; removing friction, shortening journeys, and ensuring every touchpoint feels intuitive, consistent, and best in class.

For me, simplification isn't cosmetic; it's structural. Behind every effortless experience sits a disciplined, well-architected estate. I will continue integrating our systems and data landscape so the right information surfaces at the right moment; turning data into insight. This means reducing duplication, increasing automation and designing processes that scale without adding complexity.

Ultimately when we simplify with intent, productivity rises, decisions improve, and commercial performance follows.

Excluding smartphones, what piece of technology could you not live without and why?

My robot lawn mower, it doesn't just cut the grass for me, it sweeps up the leaves too, I love it!

What excites you most about the future of IT?

It's always the possibilities; and now how quickly they're becoming reality.

Technology has always aimed to make life simpler, easier, and more connected. But the pace and scale at which we can deliver meaningful, measurable impact has taken off at an exponential scale. IT is no longer a background function; it has become a strategic engine that shapes customer experience, drives commercial performance, and enables entirely new models of growth.

The future of IT is intelligent, predictive, and seamlessly integrated. Systems won't just process transactions, they'll anticipate needs. Data won't just explain what happened, it will guide what happens next. Automation won't just reduce cost; it will elevate people to focus on the work that truly matters.

And perhaps the most exciting part? We won't even think of it as "IT" anymore. It will simply be the way we work and live; invisible, intuitive, and indispensable.

What talent are you quietly proud of that would never show up on LinkedIn?

Surfing - I love it.

What’s your most-used keyboard shortcut or command that you wish everyone knew?

Ctrl+Shift+V for pasting full URLs.