Phil Wells

Email

pwells1@ucb.ac.uk

"With expertise spanning telecommunications, next-generation architectures, technology-enabled productivity, and cyber defence, I bring nearly four decades of high-level industry and government experience into my classroom."

My career began at IBM, and over the years, I have worked for household names including the NHS, Vodafone, and Severn Trent, leading complex, high-impact projects as Project Manager and Director. I was National Lead on Technology Enabled Productivity and a Ministerial Advisor for the UK Government in Whitehall, where I contributed to policy-level decision-making and industry engagement. I also led the Rural Broadband Project, a multi-billion-pound initiative bringing fibre optic communications to underserved areas of England. These roles have taken me deep into the heart of emerging technology adoption, major IT transformations, and business-critical innovations, and have given me deep insight into the real motivators that drive industry decisions. This real-world understanding shapes my teaching, and I’m able to pass on my insights to my students at UCB.

Within our industry, I’m most inspired by change, particularly the constant evolution of the technology sector and the endless possibilities of what we’ll be able to achieve with IT in the future.

People often underestimate how vast the sector is - there’s really a role and specialism for every interest. My advice to students is to bring their enthusiasm to class and ask questions, no matter how mundane they may seem.

Outside of work, I’m a keen rose grower, and I also enjoy woodwork. I enjoy immersing myself in science fiction and technology-led dramas such as The Witcher, The Expanse, Zero Day, and Undeclared War. Finally, not many people know this, but I once met Bill Gates!