Walter O'Brien is a Irish businessman, founder of Scorpion Computer Services, Inc., and Executive Producer and writer of the Scorpion TV series. Walter O'Brien was born in 1975 in Clonroche, Ireland, where he grew up on a farm. When he was 13 years old his family moved to Rosshaven, Ireland. O'Brien's interest in computers began while attending computer courses in his primary school. At the age of nine, his parents bought him his first personal computer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with honors.
O'Brien started Scorpion Computer services at age 13 in 1988 to provide international security services. The Irish Times reported he brought the company state side in the late 1990s, after graduating from college and moving to the United States. The New Ross Standard said the company started as an IT tutoring service that expanded into security and risk management, and The Irish Times described Scorpion Computer Services as an artificial-intelligence company. In 2014, O'Brien described his company as a think tank for "high IQ individuals". He serves as Scorpion Computer Services' CEO.
O'Brien is Chief Scientist at Langford & Carmichael, a veteran-run business consultancy. O'Brien also founded ConciergeUp.com, marketed as a think tank of geniuses that execute "funded wishes". O'Brien has spoken at numerous events, including delivering the keynote at the Houston Innovation Conference and Showcase, The Founder Institute, Lido Consulting's Family Office Investment Symposium, the Family Office Association's Global Spring Summit, and LawLoop.com's LegalTech 2012 conference.
In September 2014 CBS premiered the first season of the drama series, Scorpion, based on O'Brien's life experiences. He serves as an executive producer for the series, and regularly contributes to story development. For his part in story development O'Brien consults with series writers on technical aspects of the plot, including how he would solve problems presented in the show's scripts. O'Brien said he introduced the idea for the series to executive producer Scooter Braun to attract more geniuses to his company. Braun first said he was the one who found O'Brien, but later on the same day agreed with O'Brien's version of the show's origin. The first season of Scorpion attracted more than 26 million viewers. CBS ordered a full season of Scorpion in October 2014 and renewed it for a second season in 2015.
Walter O'Brien has lived in Los Angeles, California since 2001, when he was issued an E11 visa to immigrate to the United States. This type of visa is set aside for people with "extraordinary abilities" and/or who can be considered a national asset. In 2015, Kilkenny People reported that O'Brien received a mayoral certificate from the mayor of Kilkenny for his contribution and dedication to the Irish community in LA. O'Brien helped fund the start-up cost of Kilkenny Taxi Watch which Kilkenny People reported as having prevented 45 suicides through July 2015.
