Jason Walker

Jason Walker is a HR industry veteran known for reshaping how organisations attract, retain and empower talent. As the Founder and Chief People Officer of Thrive HR Consulting, Jason has built one of the most respected advisory firms in the United States, providing executive-level HR leadership to companies navigating complex transformation. His biggest achievement is leading the development of AI-driven HR solutions that help organisations hire smarter, retain talent longer and prepare their people strategies for the future of work.

Jason’s early career shaped his deep understanding of both business operations and human behaviour. After earning a BA in Political Science from San José State University, he went on to complete a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology at the University of San Francisco and an Executive Management Certification at The University of Texas at Austin. He began his professional journey with Aspect Telecommunications, where he designed the company’s first full-time HR function and implemented new staffing and compensation systems. This early exposure to fast-growth business environments equipped him with the skills to manage large-scale workforce change and deliver practical HR solutions across diverse industries.

Over the next two decades, Jason rose through senior leadership positions at Cisco Systems, Polycom, and BMC Software. At Cisco, he led global HR operations supporting over 80,000 employees and achieved $25 million in annual savings by creating a shared service centre in India, Sydney and London. During his time at Polycom, he received a personal letter of accommodation from the CEO for redefining the company’s culture and building executive development programmes in partnership with the University of Texas. Later, as Vice President of Human Resources at BMC Software, Jason managed global talent acquisition, HR operations and real estate, cutting recruitment costs by $8 million and reducing time-to-hire from 95 to 60 days. Today, he continues to guide organisations as the CEO and CHRO of Thrive HR Consulting and as a Board Advisor at HR.com, contributing thought leadership on employee engagement and collaboration.

Audiences book Jason for his deep insight into the intersection of people, performance and technology. His keynote topics include AI-driven human resources, open borders and entrepreneurship, the shift toward meaningful work and faster methods for filling critical roles. Jason Walker brings decades of leadership experience, practical case studies and a clear, actionable message that inspires organisations to evolve their people strategies and achieve measurable results.