 Cobb received his degree in Business and Computing in the late 1980s, and started his career at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) as an analyst programmer, and later becoming Director of Business Systems and Services in 1996.In 2005 he was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor at Roehampton University, and in 2011 back at the University of London he became Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary.He was promoted to PVC in 2014.