Dr Paddy Walker

Dr Paddy Walker is Managing Director of the Leon Group, a fourth generation multi-asset family office where he has been since 1992. A graduate of Durham University (Modern History) and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (Commission in the 5thRoyal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards), Paddy has an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and a further Masters from Buckingham University’s School of Modern War Studies.

Paddy has a PhD from Buckingham University’s School of Humanities in the field of autonomous weapons and challenges to their deployment. He is a regular lecturer on the requirement for meaningful human control across lethal engagements. His areas of post-doctorate study include behavioural and leadership ramifications to removing weapon supervision as well as technical challenges to weapon autonomy.

A previous chair of the UK’s Institute of Family Business Family Office forum, Paddy sits on Leon’s Philanthropy Board that manages the group’s charity projects. Paddy is co-chair of the London Committee of Human Rights Watch and a director of Article 36, an NGO focused on reducing collateral harm to civilians from weapon systems. He is a member of the Royal Company of Archers, the Queen’s official bodyguard in Scotland.