Bobby Dixit

Bobby Dixit (Electronics, 1994) began his professional career at Sony where he worked across multiple divisions, including a 7-year stint at PlayStation, where he was a founding member of what evolved into the online PlayStation Network. In 2017, Bobby founded Autonomous Intelligent Mobility Solutions (AIMS) –a platform specialising in location-based-authentication for automotive vehicles. Bobby is senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and speaks fluent Japanese.

What are your happiest memories of your time at King’s?

My happiest memories of King’s are perhaps of walking through the old student’s common room in the Macadam building between classes, and enjoying the view of The Thames from Tutu’s bar (I'm sure long-since confined to history!). Having the opportunity to mingle with like-minded people who had come from all over the world to study at King’s was something that has stayed with me forever – I cherish the friendships I made during my time at King's. Perhaps most importantly, being given the opportunity to travel to Japan as an exchange student was the highlight of my time at King’s.

How have you stayed connected to King’s since graduating, and why is being part of your alumni network important to you?

After being away from the UK for over 20 years, to rekindle my connection the first place I looked was King’s. I became an active member of the King’s College London Engineering Association (KCLEA) and I am currently serving as the Events Secretary. Not only that, I have been pretty active in mentorship, participating in as many mentoring events as I can. I was honoured to have mentored one of the charities that won the UN Sustainability Award for the King’s Civic Challenge in 2021.

What success stories have you had in your career?

I was fortunate enough to work at Sony during the peak of its global dominance in consumer electronics. As one of the founding members of the original PlayStation online network, I had the opportunity to not only travel the globe, but also to work in Silicon Valley, as well as across Europe, Australia and Japan. As an investment banker, I had the privilege of being involved in some of the landmark deals of the early 2000’s, once again covering the entire globe, from pharmaceuticals in the Americas and India to technology, media and entertainment across Asia and Europe. As a startup founder in the UK, I was fortunate enough to participate in the development of the driverless car ecosystem in the UK.

How has the ability to understand and interact effectively with people from other cultures and backgrounds been important in your life or career?

Having moved from Africa to the UK during my early years, I had a profound recognition of the opportunities I was given that are not as readily accessible to those less fortunate. Having earned an overseas placement to a university in Japan during my time at King’s, my interaction with others from different cultures and backgrounds came early to me. After graduating, having the chance to join Sony initially in Tokyo, then in Europe and the Americas led me to develop my cross-border credentials when I switched careers to investment banking. I also found it invaluable as a startup founder when I realised I could draw from a broad base of experience, knowledge and mentors from across the world to guide me on my journey. I consider myself truly blessed to have the ability to bridge cultural, lingual and philosophical gaps across borders and peoples.

What advice would you give to students/alumni for success in life after King’s?

Very few of us know what we want to be when we start university, and sometimes we still struggle with the question after we graduate. Perhaps the best advice I was ever given was to always be open to trying new things. Do not fear change. You might be told to “follow your passion” by many, but be conscious that your passions will change and evolve over time. You should always welcome the opportunities to learn new things and meet new people.

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