About Exact Change

Bridging Global Best Practices with Local Wisdom.

Our Mission

To empower GCC organizations to navigate the complexities of transformation with confidence, clarity, and cultural integrity.

At Exact Change, we believe that change is not just a process—it's a human experience. Founded to address the specific needs of the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) region, we specialize in interventions that respect local traditions while driving world-class modernization.

We recognized a gap in the market: many consultancies offer generic "copy-paste" solutions from Western markets that fail to gain traction in the unique cultural landscape of the Middle East. Exact Change was built to close that gap.

Chris Walker leading the inaugural plenary session for the SEHE platform

Leading the inaugural plenary session for the SEHE platform in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Our Focus

Government

Supporting National Visions (Vision 2030, We the UAE 2031) through capability building and ministry-level restructuring.

Healthcare

Navigating the shift to value-based care, privatization, and digital health adoption with a focus on patient outcomes and staff wellbeing.

Partner With Us

Meet Chris Walker

Chris Walker

Chris Walker is a seasoned GCC-based change and training leader with over three decades of experience leading complex EMR, ERP, and digital transformation programs across healthcare, government, telecommunications and other sectors in the Middle East, Africa, and the US.

Over his career, Chris has built and led large-scale organizational change, training, and workforce transformation initiatives for public and private sector clients, including Dubai Health Authority, Abu Dhabi Health Data Services, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Saudi Telecom Company, Maaden Mining Company, and Transnet Freight Rail. He has directed enterprise Epic EMR rollouts for tens of thousands of clinicians, designed IT learning strategies for greenfield digital hospitals, and led transformation governance, talent development, and operating model redesign for high-profile GCC organizations.

As a former Senior Managing Consultant and Organizational Change Management Practice Lead for IBM Middle East & Africa, Chris advised C‑suite client stakeholders on large-scale digital and cloud transformations, introduced new ways of working, and mentored client change leaders on AI-enabled collaboration and stakeholder development. More recently, in Chief of Staff and Chief Results Executive roles, he has redesigned governance, stood up strategy execution and enterprise risk management frameworks, authored policy on AI and automation, and shaped people strategies for emerging health and technology ventures.

Chris is also a recognized healthcare and digital transformation thought leader, having served as a featured speaker at regional and global conferences, a coach for innovation programs, and a co-author of works on cybersecurity training and project management for innovation. His contributions to organizational culture, clinician enablement, and EMR adoption have earned awards such as LinkedIn Top Consulting Voice, recognition as a Top 40 Organizational Culture Champion, and internal quality and implementation awards in major health systems.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Santa Clara University, is a PROSCI Certified Change Management Practitioner, and maintains a portfolio of certifications spanning consulting, design thinking, diversity and inclusion, and AI. Fluent in English and Spanish with working French, Chris combines empathy-driven leadership, structured change methodologies, and strong executive communication skills to accelerate adoption, de-risk complex programs, and build sustainable high-performance cultures in healthcare and public sector environments.

Recognition & Appearances

🗣️

CAHO Tech 2024 (India)

Keynote Speaker

Presenting on the role of Trust and Purpose in successful Digital Transformation.

🇸🇦

SEHE Platform (Riyadh)

Inaugural Plenary Session Lead

Driving discussions on healthcare excellence and transformation in the Kingdom.

🏆

40 Organisational Culture Champions

Named by leadersHum in 2022

Recognized for driving purpose and clear expectations.

🎤

International HRC Square

Featured Panelist (June)

Discussing strategies to enhance well-being and reduce burnout in the workplace.

🎓

MBZUAI NAFIS Program

Guest Facilitator (2024)

Facilitating discussions on skills acquisition and behavior change with Emirati leaders.

What Others Say

"His impact on our processes was nothing short of transformative... he brought a level of professionalism, insight, and commitment that elevated not only my own decision-making but also the performance of the division as a whole."

Mohammed Shah Director of Onboarding, Malaffi

"Chris has demonstrated a great knowledge in the behavioural, cultural, and cognitive aspects of change. In my experience, this is a great differentiator and a rare skill set."

Jamil Farah Abou Daoud Senior Managing Consultant

"Our goal was to train at least 80% of our 3500 caregivers... At project completion, we surpassed our success criteria: we trained 90% of our caregivers and they received an average assessment score of 90%."

Dr. Gregory Skulmoski Associate Professor, Project Management

"We would not have survived a rapid deployment training strategy... without Chris' constant support and enthusiasm. It was a joy to drive from Sacramento to the Bay Area everyday... knowing that Chris was there to cheer us on."

Rayne Soriano, PhD, RN Regional Senior Director, Professional Excellence

"His talent in empowering his staff to think outside-the-box, quick ability to explore different angles when problem solving, and how he creates opportunities for his staff to grow is truly remarkable."

Annalisa Convento David Senior Manager, Training Design & Delivery

"If the local hardware store sold Chris Walkers, I would go out and buy one and add it to my tool chest immediately."

Gregg Wanciak Senior Instructional Designer