Following training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Bowder was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards on 13 April 1996.[1] He became commanding officer of 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards in 2011, in which role he was deployed to Afghanistan.[2]
He went on to be commander of the 1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade in June 2016, Head of Strategy for the Army in June 2018,[3] and General Officer Commanding Force Troops Command in July 2019.[4] Force Troops Command was renamed as 6th (United Kingdom) Division on 1 August 2019.[5] He then became Director Army Futures in September 2021.[6] He has been the Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Grenadier Guards since 18 June 2022, a ceremonial appointment.[7]