BOB LEWIS MBE: Meet Bob: A Life of Service, Built on Integrity

mcrouzier3
Nov 11
3 min read

When Bob speaks, you listen. Not because he demands attention, but because his voice carries the weight of a life lived in service - of people, of systems, of truth.

His journey spans military service, national cybercrime units, third-party risk, and forensic innovation in global banking, and co-founding sherloc. But it’s not the list of achievements that leaves a mark - it’s the human behind them.

It’s a quiet mantra he’s lived by - through 40+ years of pioneering cyber investigations, reshaping forensic processes in the finance sector, and building teams from scratch that are still used as templates today.

Some people bring deep expertise. Others bring lived wisdom. Bob brings both.

“Always try,” he says. “If you wait around, nothing comes to you. You have to go for it.”

HONESTY, INTEGRITY, MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE

A Life on the Frontlines of Digital Justice

Bob’s career began in the Royal Air Force Police, where he served across general policing, counterintelligence, and IT security. His work took him to the National High Tech Crime Unit, investigating cyberattacks and transnational threats before most of us had even heard the word “cyber”.

“Most problems start when someone didn’t think through the real-world use case,” Bob says. "I always ask: does this make sense to the person who’ll be using it?”

After leaving the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Bob was recruited by Barclays Bank during the 2008 financial crisis to help build something unprecedented - an internal digital forensics, e-discovery and third-party teams. His work didn’t just save the bank millions. It reshaped how the sector handles complex investigations.

Later, he would take that playbook to RBS/ NatWest and Lloyds Banking Group, continuing to evolve cyber risk strategy at the highest levels.

But beneath the titles is a guiding force: a relentless drive to make systems safer and simpler for people.

A commitment to protect the vulnerable, then and now

Whilst serving in both the Royal Air Force Police, National High Tech Crime Unit & Serious and Organised Crime Agency, Bob worked relentlessly into investigating the production of Child Sexual Abuse Material CSAM.

Through NetClean (www.netclean.com), Bob continues to help support the identification of those who both view CSAM material and introduce significant cyber security risks to their employers.

“Protecting children is very close to my heart,” he says.

Throughout his lifetime commitment to this cause, he has been able to recover children and influence how the law categorised such abuse.

Why sherloc?

Bob co-founded sherloc with Karen Rudich, after years of friendship and countless dinners discussing how banks could do better for themselves, for regulators, and for their customers.

“We both knew the system was broken in places,” he recalls. “But rather than complain, we asked - could we build something better?”

That conversation gave birth to Elementary B, and ultimately sherloc: a platform built to give SMEs access to insights, forecasting, and financial clarity once reserved for corporates.

A Superpower Built on Two Foundations

Cyber Forensics Expertise - decades of third-party risk investigation, pattern-spotting, and system hardening
Radical Empathy for the User - “Does this actually make sense to the person on the other side?”

That rare combination allows Bob to simplify complexity, push for clarity, and spot risks before they become problems.

On Mentors, Memory, and the Role of Leadership

When asked about mentors, Bob doesn’t name a single figure. Instead, he describes a mosaic of excellence: forensic genius Gary Wilson, leadership exemplar Pete Troy, and e-discovery pioneer Emma Quinn.

“It’s not one person,” he says. “It’s about taking the best part of everyone and building your own leadership from there.”

As Bob reflects on his journey from hands-on specialist to strategic leader, one truth stands out: mastery alone isn’t enough. Over the years, he’s learned that great organisations aren’t built on singular expertise, but on integration - of skills, perspectives, and people.

“It’s never just about being good at one thing. It’s about combining deep experience with vision, and bringing others along with you. That’s how you make a difference that lasts.

Bob’s leadership style is the kind that elevates everyone around him. He brings not just knowledge, but a quiet belief that progress is something we build together.