After initial qualifications and research in science, Bob Webb held senior leadership positions in several large, complex and diversified organisations. This included General Manager positions in both the private sector (CSR Ltd) and public sector (Australian Trade Commission) and several Deputy Commissioner positions with the Australian Taxation Office; working in and across a number of disciplines including strategy and change management, large scale operational and program delivery, policy development, economics, finance, investment, information systems, operations research, and marketing and legal negotiations; and across a range of primary, energy, resource, manufacturing and service industry sectors in both public and private sector roles.

He joined the ANU Climate Change Institute and Fenner School of Environment and Society in 2009 as a Senior Fellow, to pursue research in climate change adaptation, with a focus on better linking adaptation practice, policy and research. He has also carried out research and published in the areas of sustainable urban development, transformational change and transdisciplinary processes.