Who is Rebecca Fox? What drives you?
Rebecca Fox is a leader who cares deeply about people and commercial outcomes.
Sometimes those two things feel in conflict. Leadership is hard. It can be lonely. You have to make difficult decisions grounded in commercial, environmental, political and emotional reality.
I’m far from perfect, but what drives me is making the best decision available with the information in front of me – and helping others do the same.
I’ve always been technically minded. I could code at eight, thanks to having a Dad who was a computer science teacher.
But technology doesn’t teach you leadership. That came later – through mistakes, hard lessons, hard work, and learning how to align people around outcomes.
On your website you describe yourself as ‘The Relentless Fox’. Why is that?
If you ask people in my life to describe me, “intense” usually appears.
I’m high energy. I show up. I focus on getting things done. I care about outcomes.
Relentless captures that mindset – relentless focus, relentless execution, relentless belief that barriers are there to be worked through.
And of course, it’s why Relentica feels like the right name for my AI, digital and cyber consultancy.
What was your experience as CIO at NCC Group?
NCC is a Manchester-based business that has made its mark globally in cyber security and resilience. I was there for four years and I loved it – the people, the mission, the ambition.
Like any FTSE or PE-backed organisation, it operates within commercial reality and shareholder expectations. That creates pressure and constant change. Some changes are energising. Some are challenging.
But what makes NCC special is the creativity and intelligence of its people. Whatever the global economic environment does around it, that core capability remains.
I don’t regret a single day. But in late 2025, it was the right time to step away.
What prompted you to relaunch Relentica?
In short – I was ready.
I joined NCC as an interim and stayed on permanently after the pandemic. During my time there, I globalised the team, stabilised delivery at scale, responded to market pressures, and ensured the business remained cyber secure – which is existential for any organisation.
But I wanted to build something of my own, intentionally.
Relentica was originally set up in 2016 for interim work. I never closed it. It was there, waiting.
This time it isn’t about interim. It’s about true consulting in AI, digital and cyber – spanning strategy, delivery and fractional leadership.
And I’ve loved every minute of building it properly.
Were you attracted by the freedom and pace of operating your own business?
Pace matters. Lack of pace kills organisations.
But I’ve always worked with urgency and agility. That didn’t start with Relentica.
What changed was the desire to build something fully and intentionally. Earlier in 2025 I missed out on a CEO opportunity in a digital transformation business. That moment sharpened something in me.
If I wanted to lead something, I needed to build it.
Do you plan to expand Relentica?
Absolutely.
Relentica is not designed to be a solo consultancy. I’ve already launched an associate programme to widen capability, and the plan is to grow with employees over time.
I’ve always been ambitious. Now I’m building something aligned to my core values – clarity, focus and commercial impact.
Are you also building a portfolio career as a non-executive director?
Yes – selectively.
A good NED brings perspective, pattern recognition and oversight that day-to-day operations can miss. They also open networks and commercial opportunity.
But my primary focus is Relentica. Building something sustainable and valuable over the next few years is the priority.
How do you turn technology, data and AI into commercial results?
This is the core of what Relentica does.
Technology exists to enable businesses to scale, grow and remain profitable. It exists to serve customers and create shareholder value.
I’ve seen too many organisations where technology serves itself. When technology strategy isn’t aligned to business strategy, value isn’t created – it’s wasted.
Alignment is only the first step. Execution is where value is realised. Deliberate delivery. Clear governance. Ruthless prioritisation.
AI is powerful, but it’s not magic. It has to be tied directly to revenue growth, margin improvement or risk reduction. Otherwise it’s theatre.
You’ve talked about AI, strategy and growth. Where does cyber resilience sit in all of this?
Cyber sits alongside AI and digital technology as a core leadership priority.
AI is a growth lever. Digital technology is an enabler of scale. Cyber is the condition that makes both sustainable.
A failed AI initiative wastes money. Weak cyber resilience can destroy value overnight.
Having been group CIO of a global cybersecurity business, I’ve seen how quickly risk escalates when governance doesn’t keep pace with innovation. The irony is that the more organisations invest in AI and digital capability, the more complex and exposed their environments become.
That doesn’t mean slow down. It means lead properly.
Cyber resilience isn’t there to block growth. It protects it. When AI, digital strategy and cyber governance are aligned, organisations can move faster with confidence.
Without that alignment, growth is fragile.
What challenges do you see across startups and larger businesses?
For non-tech startups, this is an extraordinary time. Access to AI tools and platforms has never been easier. The challenge is sales, positioning and competing effectively.
For tech startups, the issue is often capital allocation. I regularly meet founders who have spent heavily on technology that doesn’t create revenue. Revenue is oxygen. Without it, nothing else matters.
For mid-market and enterprise organisations, the challenge is different. They’re grappling with AI expectations at board level. There’s a belief it will fix everything.
It won’t.
The starting point is always business strategy. What problem are we solving? In today’s economy that usually means driving revenue in a tough market and protecting margin.
AI and technology are investments. They must earn their keep.
Tell me something about yourself that might surprise people.
I love hosting and speaking at events and the feedback I get it’s I’m pretty damn good at it too – panels, keynotes, conversations about technology and business with energy, engagement, and a bit of humour.
Outside of that, life is pretty grounded. I’m a non-drinking vegetarian with my partner Hayley, and our Jack Russell called Scrappy who runs the house.
Relentless professionally. Fairly simple personally.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Technology is no longer a support function – it’s the foundation for every business and organisation today.
It is central to value creation. Boards that understand that – and align leadership, strategy and delivery – will win.
The ones that chase hype without clarity won’t.