Derrick Walker

Former IndyCar President of Competition and Operations, Derrick Walker, has been a prominent figure in motorsports for over thirty years. Having worked his way up in the industry, completing roles in every aspect of the sport, Walker is now a highly sought after speaker, for after dinner talks and keynote speeches due to his impressive career. The Scottish born team manager is a hit with audiences thanks to the breadth of topics he can discuss, from effective leadership to a well oiled team, as a speaker he is relevant for corporate clients, businesses and private events.

As a well regarded name in the industry, Walker has held a number of influential roles in motorsports throughout his career, gaining him a reputation as an asset to the sport. Some of his most impressive years were spent working alongside Roger Penske on a number of ventures. From mechanical positions to the general manager of Penske Cars’ manufacturing, and eventually the Vice President of racing, Walker’s thirteen year affiliation with the IndyCar developer was a huge success. After departing from Penske, Walker went on to own the Porsche IndyCar team and form his own, Walker Motorsport, where he spent nineteen years as an impressive team owner.

In the early days of his career, Walker gained his qualifications through a five year apprenticeship, learning mechanics on the job for a bus company. After completing his course, Walker went on to work for Cortune Engineering, where he was responsible for preparing racing cars for customers, his first step into the competitive motorsports world. Proving himself a dedicated worker and skilled mechanic, Walker landed the position of Chief Mechanic for Brabham Formula One team, where he got his break into the highest levels of racing.

Most recently, Walker has acted in the prestigious role as the President of Competition and Operations at IndyCar. Revered for his experience, Walker took on the position in 2013, and over the course of two years expertly guided and informed the team at IndyCar to improve their status and success. With a career as impressive and varied as Walker’s it’s no surprise he is now so popular as an after dinner speaker. At events he shares the highs and lows of his exciting career in motorsports and offers insight into the real attributes behind his success, such as teamwork, perseverance and leadership.