Sally Walker

Former Director Cyber GCHQ

Sally Walker spent 25 years in the national security community, 16 years of which were in the senior civil service in various crisis management and military support roles. A civilian graduate of the Higher Command and Staff Course at Shrivenham, her final job in government was to design and deliver the National Cyber Force, as Director Cyber for GCHQ and in full partnership with Ministry of Defence. She also had joint responsibility for the National Offensive Cyber Programme, led many aspects of the UK’s partnership with US Cyber Command, and was GCHQ’s diversity champion for over a decade.

Now enjoying daylight and a second career in leadership and talent development, she is currently a board chair in local UK government and a non executive for her “new tribe”, WithYouWithMe, while also working with a portfolio of clients from all sectors of society.

Outside of work, she is a champion for the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. She retains an interest in neurodiversity and differences in the human brain, while living in a completely male household with her three sons, an engineer husband who runs his own business, and 3 crazy dogs. A dozen hens offer some vague sense of diversity; the garden will be a respite, if it is ever conquered.. Ever hopeful.